Destructive aortic valve endocarditis from Brucella abortus: survival with emergency aortic valve replacement.

Brucella abortus infection of the aortic valve caused acute aortic regurgitation leading to severe left ventricular failure in a 62-year-old man. He made an excellent recovery after emergency aortic valve replacement. This is the third reported case of successful heart valve replacement for Brucella endocarditis and the second such case involving the aortic valve.