Staphylococcus lugdunensis Infective Endocarditis With Mitral Valve Vegetations in a Hemodialysis Patient With Recurrent Arteriovenous Fistula Cannulation: A Case Report

Infective endocarditis is a severe medical condition that occurs when the endocardium of the heart gets infected by different microorganisms, including coagulase-negative staphylococci such as Staphylococcus lugdunensis. The source of infection is often related to procedures done in the groin area, such as femoral catheterization for cardiac catheterization, vasectomy, or central line placement in an already infected mitral or aortic valve. Herein, we are discussing a case of a 55-year-old female with a past medical history of end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis with a history of recurrent cannulation of her arteriovenous (AV) fistula. She presented with fever, myalgia, and generalized weakness, and was later found to have Staphylococcus lugdunensis bacteremia and infective endocarditis with mitral valve vegetations, for which the patient was transferred to the mitral valve specialized center for mitral valve replacement. This case acts as a reminder to consider recurrent cannulation of the AV fistula as one of the potential ports of entry of Staphylococcus lugdunensis to the body.