Native-valve endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis. A histologically confirmed case.

Staphylococcus epidermidis is among the most common organisms isolated from blood cultures. Conversely, it is rarely a well-documented cause of natural-valve endocarditis. However, several authors have reported series of patients with the clinical picture of endocarditis and S. epidermidis bacteremia. Most of these cases have not been confirmed by examination of the valve. The authors present a case of natural-valve endocarditis caused by S. epidermidis with pathologic documentation of the offending agent.