Undiagnosed mitral valve endocarditis presenting as valve perforation: A case report

Abstract

Infective endocarditis (IE) is an under-recognized cause of fever that is often missed in preliminary evaluation. This may stem from a lack of vigilance towards IE and using empirical antibiotic therapy to treat fever. As a result, patients often present with complications of IE that warrant surgical intervention. We hereby discuss a case of IE that remained undiagnosed for 2 years, receiving short courses of oral antibiotic therapy for recurrent fever, ultimately developing heart failure due to valve perforation.