Cardiobacterium hominis causing late prosthetic valve endocarditis.

We have described a patient with a prosthetic mitral valve who had endocarditis due to Cardiobacterium hominis 14 years after valve placement. She was cured with a six-week course of antibiotics, and valve replacement was not required. A four- to six-week course of ampicillin or penicillin G appears to be the therapy of choice.