<!DOCTYPE article PUBLIC "-//NLM//DTD JATS (Z39.96) Journal Publishing DTD v1.1 20151215//EN" "http://jats.nlm.nih.gov/publishing/1.1/JATS-journalpublishing1.dtd">
<article xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" article-type="letter" dtd-version="1.1" specific-use="sps-1.9" xml:lang="pt">
  <front>
    <journal-meta>
      <journal-id journal-id-type="nlm-ta">Arq Bras Cardiol</journal-id>
      <journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">abc</journal-id>
      <journal-title-group>
        <journal-title>Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia</journal-title>
        <abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="publisher">Arq. Bras. Cardiol.</abbrev-journal-title>
      </journal-title-group>
      <issn pub-type="ppub">0066-782X</issn>
      <issn pub-type="epub">1678-4170</issn>
      <publisher>
        <publisher-name>Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia - SBC</publisher-name>
      </publisher>
    </journal-meta>
    <article-meta>
      <article-id specific-use="scielo-v3" pub-id-type="publisher-id">xvzCBqgnXdPpvwQ9664fwtr</article-id>
      <article-id specific-use="scielo-v2" pub-id-type="publisher-id">S0066-782X2023001000502</article-id>
      <article-id pub-id-type="other">00502</article-id>
      <article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.36660/abc.20230268</article-id>
      <article-categories>
        <subj-group subj-group-type="heading">
          <subject>Carta Cient&#237;fica</subject>
        </subj-group>
      </article-categories>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>Endocardite da V&#225;lvula Mitral &#8211; Uma Causa Rara num Doente com Neoplasia</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">0000-0002-3278-4407</contrib-id>
          <name>
            <surname>Duarte</surname>
            <given-names>Fabiana</given-names>
          </name>
          <role>Concep&#231;&#227;o e desenho da pesquisa</role>
          <role>Obten&#231;&#227;o de dados</role>
          <role>Reda&#231;&#227;o do manuscrito</role>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
            <sup>1</sup>
          </xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Machado</surname>
            <given-names>Carina</given-names>
          </name>
          <role>Concep&#231;&#227;o e desenho da pesquisa</role>
          <role>Obten&#231;&#227;o de dados</role>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
            <sup>1</sup>
          </xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Oliveira</surname>
            <given-names>Luis</given-names>
          </name>
          <role>Revis&#227;o cr&#237;tica do manuscrito quanto ao conte&#250;do intelectual importante</role>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
            <sup>1</sup>
          </xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Machado</surname>
            <given-names>Duarte</given-names>
          </name>
          <role>Obten&#231;&#227;o de dados</role>
          <role>Revis&#227;o cr&#237;tica do manuscrito quanto ao conte&#250;do intelectual importante</role>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
            <sup>1</sup>
          </xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Dourado</surname>
            <given-names>Raquel</given-names>
          </name>
          <role>Revis&#227;o cr&#237;tica do manuscrito quanto ao conte&#250;do intelectual importante</role>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
            <sup>1</sup>
          </xref>
        </contrib>
      </contrib-group>
      <aff id="aff1">
        <label> 1 </label>
        <institution content-type="orgname">Hospital do Divino Espirito Santo de Ponta Delgada EPE</institution>
        <addr-line>
          <named-content content-type="city">A&#231;ores</named-content>
        </addr-line>
        <country country="PT">Portugal</country>
        <institution content-type="original"> Hospital do Divino Espirito Santo de Ponta Delgada EPE &#8211; Cardiologia, A&#231;ores &#8211; Portugal </institution>
      </aff>
      <author-notes>
        <corresp id="c01">Correspond&#234;ncia: Fabiana Duarte &#8226; Hospital do Divino Espirito Santo de Ponta Delgada EPE &#8211; Cardiologia - Av. D. Manuel I Ponta Delgada A&#231;ores 9500-370 - Portugal E-mail: <email>f.duarte@campus.ul.pt</email> </corresp>
        <fn fn-type="conflict">
          <p>Potencial conflito de interesse</p>
          <p>N&#227;o h&#225; conflito com o presente artigo</p>
        </fn>
        <fn fn-type="edited-by">
          <p>Editor respons&#225;vel pela revis&#227;o: Gl&#225;ucia Maria Moraes de Oliveira</p>
        </fn>
      </author-notes>
      <pub-date date-type="pub" publication-format="electronic">
        <day>30</day>
        <month>10</month>
        <year>2023</year>
      </pub-date>
      <pub-date date-type="collection" publication-format="electronic">
        <month>10</month>
        <year>2023</year>
      </pub-date>
      <volume>120</volume>
      <issue>10</issue>
      <elocation-id>e20230268</elocation-id>
      <history>
        <date date-type="received">
          <day>20</day>
          <month>04</month>
          <year>2023</year>
        </date>
        <date date-type="rev-recd">
          <day>12</day>
          <month>07</month>
          <year>2023</year>
        </date>
        <date date-type="accepted">
          <day>16</day>
          <month>08</month>
          <year>2023</year>
        </date>
      </history>
      <permissions>
        <license license-type="open-access" xlink:href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" xml:lang="en">
          <license-p>This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.</license-p>
        </license>
      </permissions>
      <kwd-group xml:lang="pt">
        <kwd>Endocardite</kwd>
        <kwd>Tratamento Farmacol&#243;gico</kwd>
        <kwd>Ecocardiografia</kwd>
      </kwd-group>
      <counts>
        <fig-count count="6"/>
        <table-count count="0"/>
        <equation-count count="0"/>
        <ref-count count="12"/>
      </counts>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
  <body>
    <sec sec-type="intro">
      <title>Introdu&#231;&#227;o</title>
      <p>Pacientes com c&#226;ncer s&#227;o propensos a endocardite infecciosa (EI), associada a agentes causais espec&#237;ficos, levando a resultados piores. A preval&#234;ncia de EI em pacientes com c&#226;ncer varia de 5,6% a 18%, com uma taxa de mortalidade relatada em 1 ano de quase 30%. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B1">1</xref> - <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B3">3</xref></sup> Fatores de risco, como sistema imunol&#243;gico suprimido, uso de cateter intravascular e hipercoagulabilidade, predisp&#245;em os pacientes com malignidade &#224; EI. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B2">2</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B3">3</xref></sup></p>
      <p>A evolu&#231;&#227;o cl&#237;nica &#233; desfavor&#225;vel devido &#224;s altas taxas de mortalidade relacionadas &#224; resist&#234;ncia aos antibi&#243;ticos, &#224;s condi&#231;&#245;es m&#233;dicas subjacentes, &#224; falta de interven&#231;&#245;es cir&#250;rgicas realizadas e &#224; descontinua&#231;&#227;o do regime terap&#234;utico antitumoral. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B2">2</xref> - <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B5">5</xref></sup></p>
      <p>De acordo com a literatura, esp&#233;cies de estafilococos, principalmente <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic> e <italic>Enterococos</italic> , s&#227;o microrganismos comuns causadores de EI em pacientes com c&#226;ncer. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B2">2</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B3">3</xref></sup></p>
      <p>Descrevemos um caso incomum de EI da valva mitral causada por <italic>Serratia marcescens</italic> em paciente com malignidade hematol&#243;gica. Embora a bacteremia causada por <italic>S. marcescens</italic> , um bacilo gram-negativo n&#227;o-HACEK, n&#227;o seja incomum, sua associa&#231;&#227;o com EI &#233; bastante rara. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B6">6</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B7">7</xref></sup></p>
      <sec sec-type="cases">
        <title>Relato de caso</title>
        <p>Paciente do sexo masculino, 51 anos, com hist&#243;rico de hipertens&#227;o, tabagismo e obesidade, foi submetido &#224; penectomia parcial por carcinoma espinocelular ulcerado do p&#234;nis em janeiro de 2020. Em mar&#231;o de 2021, uma tomografia computadorizada (TC) tor&#225;cico-abdominop&#233;lvica revelou uma massa na esquerda da regi&#227;o inguinal com linfonodos aumentados ilioinguinais e para-a&#243;rticos. Uma bi&#243;psia confirmou met&#225;stases linfonodais regionais (LN) de carcinoma peniano e, ap&#243;s discuss&#227;o multidisciplinar, o paciente foi proposto para quimioterapia neoadjuvante antes da ressec&#231;&#227;o do LN. Tr&#234;s ciclos de quimioterapia foram conclu&#237;dos atrav&#233;s de acesso venoso central implant&#225;vel de longo prazo na veia subcl&#225;via direita. Nenhuma complica&#231;&#227;o imediata foi relatada.</p>
        <p>Aproximadamente 24 horas ap&#243;s o &#250;ltimo tratamento, o paciente compareceu ao pronto-socorro com queixa de cansa&#231;o, perda de apetite e febre. O paciente negou dor pleur&#237;tica ou sintomas abdominais. Ao exame f&#237;sico apresentava-se hipotenso e febril (temperatura timp&#226;nica 38,4&#176;C), com polipneia, hipoxemia e desorienta&#231;&#227;o temporal e espacial. Nenhum achado adicional foi relatado, incluindo exame card&#237;aco normal. A an&#225;lise da amostra de sangue revelou anemia (hemoglobina 9,8 g/dL) e trombocitopenia (contagem de plaquetas 100.000/&#181;L), les&#227;o renal aguda (creatinina 3,68 mg/dL, ureia 130 mg/dL), rabdomi&#243;lise (creatina quinase 18.567 U/L), alta n&#237;veis de prote&#237;na C reativa (PCR 19 mg/dL) e procalcitonina (PCT 51,6 ng/mL).</p>
        <p>Durante a investiga&#231;&#227;o diagn&#243;stica, a tomografia computadorizada de t&#243;rax evidenciou m&#250;ltiplos n&#243;dulos pulmonares s&#243;lidos e cavit&#225;rios sugestivos de &#234;mbolos pulmonares s&#233;pticos ( <xref ref-type="fig" rid="f01">Figura 1</xref> , AC). Nesta fase foi proposto o diagn&#243;stico de choque s&#233;ptico com disfun&#231;&#227;o multiorg&#226;nica. Foram coletados dois conjuntos de hemoculturas perif&#233;ricas e o paciente iniciou terapia antimicrobiana emp&#237;rica com ceftriaxona e metronidazol e foi internado em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva.</p>
        <p>
          <fig id="f01">
            <label>Figura 1</label>
            <caption>
              <title>&#8211; A, B, C) Tomografia computadorizada de t&#243;rax (janela pulmonar) demonstrando les&#245;es nodulares cuneiformes bilaterais, algumas com cavita&#231;&#227;o (seta amarela), a maioria localizada na periferia. Os n&#243;dulos t&#234;m di&#226;metros que variam de alguns mil&#237;metros a 18 mm, sendo o maior deles localizado no lobo superior esquerdo.</title>
            </caption>
            <graphic xlink:href="1678-4170-abc-120-10-e20230268-30268-gf01.tif"/></fig>
        </p>
        <p>Sua condi&#231;&#227;o piorou, necessitando de terapia vasopressora de norepinefrina em altas doses e oxig&#234;nio suplementar. Uma tomografia computadorizada abdominal/p&#233;lvica revelou progress&#227;o da doen&#231;a neopl&#225;sica e uma tomografia computadorizada de cr&#226;nio n&#227;o mostrou sinais de emboliza&#231;&#227;o cerebral.</p>
        <p>De acordo com testes de sensibilidade a antibi&#243;ticos, <italic>Serratia marcescens</italic> foi isolada de hemoculturas e o esquema antimicrobiano inicial foi ajustado para piperacilina-tazobactam. O cateter venoso central de longa perman&#234;ncia foi retirado e enviado para cultura, que isolou o mesmo microrganismo. Um ecocardiograma transtor&#225;cico foi realizado inicialmente, mas foi inconclusivo devido a uma janela ac&#250;stica muito ruim. O ecocardiograma transesof&#225;gico (ETE) realizado durante a interna&#231;&#227;o revelou uma &#250;nica vegeta&#231;&#227;o valvar mitral volumosa (di&#226;metro m&#225;ximo de 23 mm) aderida ao folheto posterior da valva mitral nos segmentos de engrossamento P2 e P3, sem insufici&#234;ncia mitral ( <xref ref-type="fig" rid="f02">Figura 2</xref> , A-C). Foram exclu&#237;dos outros sinais de infec&#231;&#227;o localmente n&#227;o controlada e estabelecido o diagn&#243;stico de endocardite infecciosa.</p>
        <p>
          <fig id="f02">
            <label>Figura 2</label>
            <caption>
              <title>&#8211; Ecocardiografia transesof&#225;gica inicial realizada durante a interna&#231;&#227;o hospitalar. Revelou vegeta&#231;&#227;o mitral grande, filiforme e m&#243;vel (di&#226;metro m&#225;ximo de 23 mm), aderida &#224; superf&#237;cie atrial do folheto mitral posterior, envolvendo regi&#245;es de vieira P2 e P3 (seta amarela); Vis&#227;o longitudinal do ETE em 60&#186; (A) e 120&#186; (B). N&#227;o foram evidenciados prolapso de vieira ou regurgita&#231;&#227;o mitral (C).</title>
            </caption>
            <graphic xlink:href="1678-4170-abc-120-10-e20230268-30268-gf02.tif"/></fig>
        </p>
        <p>Embora n&#227;o tenha havido consenso sobre esquemas antibi&#243;ticos adequados, o paciente recebeu terapia antimicrobiana com meropenem e gentamicina por seis e duas semanas, respectivamente. Atendendo &#224; presen&#231;a de neoplasia metast&#225;tica ativa, n&#227;o foi considerado candidato &#224; interven&#231;&#227;o cir&#250;rgica.</p>
        <p>Hemoculturas repetidas ap&#243;s tr&#234;s dias de antibioticoterapia eficaz foram negativas. A evolu&#231;&#227;o cl&#237;nica do paciente foi favor&#225;vel, com redu&#231;&#227;o progressiva do vasopressor e do suporte respirat&#243;rio, permitindo a transfer&#234;ncia para a Unidade Oncol&#243;gica para conclus&#227;o do tratamento.</p>
        <p>Na repeti&#231;&#227;o da ETE no 51&#186; dia de interna&#231;&#227;o, a vegeta&#231;&#227;o desapareceu, sendo vis&#237;vel apenas regurgita&#231;&#227;o mitral leve. N&#227;o foram observadas imagens sugestivas de f&#237;stula, abscesso ou forma&#231;&#227;o de aneurisma ( <xref ref-type="fig" rid="f03">Figura 3</xref> , A-D). O paciente recebeu alta e manteve acompanhamento m&#233;dico, embora tenha decidido n&#227;o recorrer a esquemas quimioter&#225;picos adicionais.</p>
        <p>
          <fig id="f03">
            <label>Figura 3</label>
            <caption>
              <title>&#8211; Ecocardiografia transesof&#225;gica realizada no 51&#186; dia de interna&#231;&#227;o ap&#243;s antibioticoterapia. Revela elimina&#231;&#227;o completa da vegeta&#231;&#227;o valvar mitral (vis&#227;o zoom da valva mitral em 60&#186; (A) e 120&#186; (B)). Doppler colorido (C) e de onda cont&#237;nua (D) revelando regurgita&#231;&#227;o valvar mitral leve (&#225;rea efetiva do orif&#237;cio regurgitante de 0,10 cm 2 pelo m&#233;todo PISA).</title>
            </caption>
            <graphic xlink:href="1678-4170-abc-120-10-e20230268-30268-gf03.tif"/></fig>
        </p>
      </sec>
    </sec>
    <sec sec-type="discussion">
      <title>Discuss&#227;o</title>
      <p>Os autores relatam um caso raro de endocardite infecciosa causada por <italic>S. marcescens</italic> , agente extremamente raro, respons&#225;vel por 0,1% de todos os casos de endocardite. Historicamente, <italic>S. marcescens</italic> , um bacilo gram-negativo oportunista, tem sido considerado um agente causador de EI em usu&#225;rios de drogas intravenosas, mas recentemente foram relatados alguns casos em n&#227;o usu&#225;rios de drogas com dist&#250;rbios m&#233;dicos cr&#244;nicos. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B6">6</xref> - <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B8">8</xref></sup></p>
      <p>Em pacientes com dispositivos intravasculares e choque s&#233;ptico, se deve manter um alto &#237;ndice de suspeita para diagnosticar uma infec&#231;&#227;o relacionada ao dispositivo. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B2">2</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B3">3</xref></sup> Em nosso caso, o cateter venoso central de longa perman&#234;ncia foi provavelmente a fonte da bacteremia no ambiente hospitalar.</p>
      <p>A endocardite por <italic>S.marcescens</italic> frequentemente afeta as valvas do lado esquerdo, causando destrui&#231;&#227;o significativa da valva, emboliza&#231;&#227;o s&#233;ptica e altas taxas de mortalidade sem interven&#231;&#227;o cir&#250;rgica. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B6">6</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B7">7</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B9">9</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B10">10</xref></sup> A terapia antimicrobiana apropriada &#233; incerta devido &#224; consider&#225;vel resist&#234;ncia aos antibi&#243;ticos, mas os regimes aceitos geralmente envolvem uma combina&#231;&#227;o de um betalact&#226;mico e um aminoglicos&#237;deo. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B4">4</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B5">5</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B8">8</xref></sup> A cirurgia &#233; frequentemente negada a pacientes com c&#226;ncer, mal orientados pelo conceito de carga consider&#225;vel de comorbidades e a terapia antitumoral geralmente &#233; suspensa. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B1">1</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B2">2</xref></sup></p>
      <p>Neste caso, embora inesperado, a abordagem conservadora com antibioticoterapia foi bem-sucedida, resultando na resolu&#231;&#227;o completa da vegeta&#231;&#227;o mitral no ETE com sequelas m&#237;nimas e eliminando a necessidade de cirurgia.</p>
      <p>At&#233; onde sabemos, esta &#233; a primeira terapia m&#233;dica bem-sucedida relatada para EI causada por <italic>S. marcescens</italic> em um paciente imunocomprometido. Este caso ressalta importantes considera&#231;&#245;es da pr&#225;tica cl&#237;nica. Pacientes com c&#226;ncer em quimioterapia de longo prazo com acesso vascular enfrentam um risco aumentado de infec&#231;&#245;es da corrente sangu&#237;nea associadas aos cuidados de sa&#250;de, enfatizando a necessidade de cautela durante procedimentos invasivos. A apresenta&#231;&#227;o cl&#237;nica at&#237;pica requer alta suspeita para detec&#231;&#227;o e tratamento precoces. Dada a sua raridade, cada caso relatado na literatura contribui para uma melhor compreens&#227;o das estrat&#233;gias ideais de preven&#231;&#227;o e tratamento. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B9">9</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B10">10</xref> - <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B12">12</xref></sup></p>
    </sec>
  </body>
  <back>
    <ref-list>
      <title>Refer&#234;ncias</title>
      <ref id="B1">
        <label>1</label>
        <mixed-citation>1. Cosyns B, Roosens B, Lancellotti P, Laroche C, Dulgheru R, Scheggi V, et al. Cancer and Infective Endocarditis: Characteristics and Prognostic Impact. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2021;8:766996. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.766996.</mixed-citation>
        <element-citation publication-type="journal">
          <person-group person-group-type="author">
            <name>
              <surname>Cosyns</surname>
              <given-names>B</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Roosens</surname>
              <given-names>B</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Lancellotti</surname>
              <given-names>P</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Laroche</surname>
              <given-names>C</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Dulgheru</surname>
              <given-names>R</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Scheggi</surname>
              <given-names>V</given-names>
            </name>
            <etal>et al</etal>
          </person-group>
          <article-title>Cancer and Infective Endocarditis: Characteristics and Prognostic Impact</article-title>
          <source>Front Cardiovasc Med</source>
          <year>2021</year>
          <volume>8</volume>
          <size units="pages">766996</size>
          <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.3389/fcvm.2021.766996</pub-id>
        </element-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="B2">
        <label>2</label>
        <mixed-citation>2. Kim K, Kim D, Lee SE, Cho IJ, Shim CY, Hong GR, et al. Infective Endocarditis in Cancer Patients - Causative Organisms, Predisposing Procedures, and Prognosis Differ from Infective Endocarditis in Non-Cancer Patients. Circ J. 2019;83(2):452-60. doi: 10.1253/circj.CJ-18-0609.</mixed-citation>
        <element-citation publication-type="journal">
          <person-group person-group-type="author">
            <name>
              <surname>Kim</surname>
              <given-names>K</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Kim</surname>
              <given-names>D</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Lee</surname>
              <given-names>SE</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Cho</surname>
              <given-names>IJ</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Shim</surname>
              <given-names>CY</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Hong</surname>
              <given-names>GR</given-names>
            </name>
            <etal>et al</etal>
          </person-group>
          <article-title>Infective Endocarditis in Cancer Patients - Causative Organisms, Predisposing Procedures, and Prognosis Differ from Infective Endocarditis in Non-Cancer Patients</article-title>
          <source>Circ J</source>
          <year>2019</year>
          <volume>83</volume>
          <issue>2</issue>
          <fpage>452</fpage>
          <lpage>460</lpage>
          <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.1253/circj.CJ-18-0609</pub-id>
        </element-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="B3">
        <label>3</label>
        <mixed-citation>3. Grable C, Yusuf SW, Song J, Viola GM, Ulhaq O, Banchs J, et al. Characteristics of Infective Endocarditis in a Cancer Population. Open Heart. 2021;8(2):e001664. doi: 10.1136/openhrt-2021-001664.</mixed-citation>
        <element-citation publication-type="journal">
          <person-group person-group-type="author">
            <name>
              <surname>Grable</surname>
              <given-names>C</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Yusuf</surname>
              <given-names>SW</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Song</surname>
              <given-names>J</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Viola</surname>
              <given-names>GM</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Ulhaq</surname>
              <given-names>O</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Banchs</surname>
              <given-names>J</given-names>
            </name>
            <etal>et al</etal>
          </person-group>
          <article-title>Characteristics of Infective Endocarditis in a Cancer Population</article-title>
          <source>Open Heart</source>
          <year>2021</year>
          <volume>8</volume>
          <issue>2</issue>
          <elocation-id>e001664</elocation-id>
          <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.1136/openhrt-2021-001664</pub-id>
        </element-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="B4">
        <label>4</label>
        <mixed-citation>4. Pugalenthi LS, Ahmad M, Reddy S, Barkhane Z, Elmadi J, Satish Kumar L. Malignancy and Endocarditis: Divulging Into the Intertwined Association. Cureus. 2022;14(4):e24089. doi: 10.7759/cureus.24089.</mixed-citation>
        <element-citation publication-type="journal">
          <person-group person-group-type="author">
            <name>
              <surname>Pugalenthi</surname>
              <given-names>LS</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Ahmad</surname>
              <given-names>M</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Reddy</surname>
              <given-names>S</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Barkhane</surname>
              <given-names>Z</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Elmadi</surname>
              <given-names>J</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Satish Kumar</surname>
              <given-names>L</given-names>
            </name>
          </person-group>
          <article-title>Malignancy and Endocarditis: Divulging Into the Intertwined Association</article-title>
          <source>Cureus</source>
          <year>2022</year>
          <volume>14</volume>
          <issue>4</issue>
          <elocation-id>e24089</elocation-id>
          <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.7759/cureus.24089</pub-id>
        </element-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="B5">
        <label>5</label>
        <mixed-citation>5. Mistiaen WP, Gebruers N. How to Manage Patients in Whom Malignancy and Infective Endocarditis are Associated: A Review. Scand Cardiovasc J. 2020;54(2):70-6. doi: 10.1080/14017431.2019.1698762.</mixed-citation>
        <element-citation publication-type="journal">
          <person-group person-group-type="author">
            <name>
              <surname>Mistiaen</surname>
              <given-names>WP</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Gebruers</surname>
              <given-names>N</given-names>
            </name>
          </person-group>
          <article-title>How to Manage Patients in Whom Malignancy and Infective Endocarditis are Associated: A Review</article-title>
          <source>Scand Cardiovasc J</source>
          <year>2020</year>
          <volume>54</volume>
          <issue>2</issue>
          <fpage>70</fpage>
          <lpage>76</lpage>
          <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.1080/14017431.2019.1698762</pub-id>
        </element-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="B6">
        <label>6</label>
        <mixed-citation>6. Phadke VK, Jacob JT. Marvelous but Morbid: Infective Endocarditis Due to Serratia Marcescens. Infect Dis Clin Pract (Baltim Md). 2016;24(3):143-50. doi: 10.1097/IPC.0000000000000360.</mixed-citation>
        <element-citation publication-type="journal">
          <person-group person-group-type="author">
            <name>
              <surname>Phadke</surname>
              <given-names>VK</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Jacob</surname>
              <given-names>JT</given-names>
            </name>
          </person-group>
          <article-title>Marvelous but Morbid: Infective Endocarditis Due to Serratia Marcescens</article-title>
          <source>Infect Dis Clin Pract (Baltim Md)</source>
          <year>2016</year>
          <volume>24</volume>
          <issue>3</issue>
          <fpage>143</fpage>
          <lpage>150</lpage>
          <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.1097/IPC.0000000000000360</pub-id>
        </element-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="B7">
        <label>7</label>
        <mixed-citation>7. Elkattawy S, Mohammadian M, Williams N, Mowafy A, Ayad S, Noori MAM, et al. Serratia Marcescens Endocarditis. Cureus. 2021;13(8):e17346. doi: 10.7759/cureus.17346.</mixed-citation>
        <element-citation publication-type="journal">
          <person-group person-group-type="author">
            <name>
              <surname>Elkattawy</surname>
              <given-names>S</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Mohammadian</surname>
              <given-names>M</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Williams</surname>
              <given-names>N</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Mowafy</surname>
              <given-names>A</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Ayad</surname>
              <given-names>S</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Noori</surname>
              <given-names>MAM</given-names>
            </name>
            <etal>et al</etal>
          </person-group>
          <article-title>Serratia Marcescens Endocarditis</article-title>
          <source>Cureus</source>
          <year>2021</year>
          <volume>13</volume>
          <issue>8</issue>
          <elocation-id>e17346</elocation-id>
          <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.7759/cureus.17346</pub-id>
        </element-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="B8">
        <label>8</label>
        <mixed-citation>8. Goodberlet M, Schontz MJ, McLaughlin K, Kelly J. Uncertainty of Treatment of Serratia marcescens Endocarditis. Int J Med Pharm. 2019;12(2):1-5. doi: 10.9734/ijmpcr/2019/v12i230100.</mixed-citation>
        <element-citation publication-type="journal">
          <person-group person-group-type="author">
            <name>
              <surname>Goodberlet</surname>
              <given-names>M</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Schontz</surname>
              <given-names>MJ</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>McLaughlin</surname>
              <given-names>K</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Kelly</surname>
              <given-names>J</given-names>
            </name>
          </person-group>
          <article-title>Uncertainty of Treatment of Serratia marcescens Endocarditis</article-title>
          <source>Int J Med Pharm</source>
          <year>2019</year>
          <volume>12</volume>
          <issue>2</issue>
          <fpage>1</fpage>
          <lpage>5</lpage>
          <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.9734/ijmpcr/2019/v12i230100</pub-id>
        </element-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="B9">
        <label>9</label>
        <mixed-citation>9. Ferreira AI, Oliveira ESF, Reis J, Henriques M, Almeida J. Serratia Marcescens Endocarditis: A Case Report and Literature Review. Acta Med Port. 2022;35(12):908-12. doi: 10.20344/amp.16377.</mixed-citation>
        <element-citation publication-type="journal">
          <person-group person-group-type="author">
            <name>
              <surname>Ferreira</surname>
              <given-names>AI</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Oliveira</surname>
              <given-names>ESF</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Reis</surname>
              <given-names>J</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Henriques</surname>
              <given-names>M</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Almeida</surname>
              <given-names>J</given-names>
            </name>
          </person-group>
          <article-title>Serratia Marcescens Endocarditis: A Case Report and Literature Review</article-title>
          <source>Acta Med Port</source>
          <year>2022</year>
          <volume>35</volume>
          <issue>12</issue>
          <fpage>908</fpage>
          <lpage>912</lpage>
          <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.20344/amp.16377</pub-id>
        </element-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="B10">
        <label>10</label>
        <mixed-citation>10. Luttmann K, Starnes VR, Haddad M, Duggan J. Serratia Marcescens, a Rare and Devastating Cause of Endocarditis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Cureus. 2022;14(6):e25572. doi: 10.7759/cureus.25572.</mixed-citation>
        <element-citation publication-type="journal">
          <person-group person-group-type="author">
            <name>
              <surname>Luttmann</surname>
              <given-names>K</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Starnes</surname>
              <given-names>VR</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Haddad</surname>
              <given-names>M</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Duggan</surname>
              <given-names>J</given-names>
            </name>
          </person-group>
          <article-title>Serratia Marcescens, a Rare and Devastating Cause of Endocarditis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature</article-title>
          <source>Cureus</source>
          <year>2022</year>
          <volume>14</volume>
          <issue>6</issue>
          <elocation-id>e25572</elocation-id>
          <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.7759/cureus.25572</pub-id>
        </element-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="B11">
        <label>11</label>
        <mixed-citation>11. Yeung HM, Chavarria B, Shahsavari D. A Complicated Case of Serratia Marcescens Infective Endocarditis in the Era of the Current Opioid Epidemic. Case Rep Infect Dis. 2018;2018:5903589. doi: 10.1155/2018/5903589.</mixed-citation>
        <element-citation publication-type="journal">
          <person-group person-group-type="author">
            <name>
              <surname>Yeung</surname>
              <given-names>HM</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Chavarria</surname>
              <given-names>B</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Shahsavari</surname>
              <given-names>D</given-names>
            </name>
          </person-group>
          <article-title>A Complicated Case of Serratia Marcescens Infective Endocarditis in the Era of the Current Opioid Epidemic</article-title>
          <source>Case Rep Infect Dis</source>
          <year>2018</year>
          <volume>2018</volume>
          <size units="pages">5903589</size>
          <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.1155/2018/5903589</pub-id>
        </element-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="B12">
        <label>12</label>
        <mixed-citation>12. Singh A, Tappeta K, Chellapuram N, Singh D. An Interesting Case of Serratia Endocarditis in a Patient with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. Cureus. 2022;14(1):e21238. doi: 10.7759/cureus.21238.</mixed-citation>
        <element-citation publication-type="journal">
          <person-group person-group-type="author">
            <name>
              <surname>Singh</surname>
              <given-names>A</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Tappeta</surname>
              <given-names>K</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Chellapuram</surname>
              <given-names>N</given-names>
            </name>
            <name>
              <surname>Singh</surname>
              <given-names>D</given-names>
            </name>
          </person-group>
          <article-title>An Interesting Case of Serratia Endocarditis in a Patient with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia</article-title>
          <source>Cureus</source>
          <year>2022</year>
          <volume>14</volume>
          <issue>1</issue>
          <elocation-id>e21238</elocation-id>
          <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.7759/cureus.21238</pub-id>
        </element-citation>
      </ref>
    </ref-list>
    <fn-group>
      <fn fn-type="other">
        <label/>
        <p>Vincula&#231;&#227;o acad&#234;mica</p>
        <p>N&#227;o h&#225; vincula&#231;&#227;o deste estudo a programas de p&#243;s-gradua&#231;&#227;o.</p>
        <p>Aprova&#231;&#227;o &#233;tica e consentimento informado</p>
        <p>Este artigo n&#227;o cont&#233;m estudos com humanos ou animais realizados por nenhum dos autores.</p>
      </fn>
    </fn-group>
    <fn-group>
      <fn fn-type="supported-by">
        <p>Fontes de financiamento: O presente estudo n&#227;o teve fontes de financiamento externas.</p>
      </fn>
    </fn-group>
  </back>
  <sub-article article-type="translation" id="TRen" xml:lang="en">
    <front-stub>
      <article-categories>
        <subj-group subj-group-type="heading">
          <subject>Research Letter</subject>
        </subj-group>
      </article-categories>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>Mitral Valve Endocarditis &#8211; An Unusual Culprit in a Cancer Patient</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">0000-0002-3278-4407</contrib-id>
          <name>
            <surname>Duarte</surname>
            <given-names>Fabiana</given-names>
          </name>
          <role>Conception and design of the research</role>
          <role>Acquisition of data</role>
          <role>Writing of the manuscript</role>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1001">
            <sup>1</sup>
          </xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Machado</surname>
            <given-names>Carina</given-names>
          </name>
          <role>Conception and design of the research</role>
          <role>Acquisition of data</role>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1001">
            <sup>1</sup>
          </xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Oliveira</surname>
            <given-names>Luis</given-names>
          </name>
          <role>Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content</role>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1001">
            <sup>1</sup>
          </xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Machado</surname>
            <given-names>Duarte</given-names>
          </name>
          <role>Acquisition of data</role>
          <role>Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content</role>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1001">
            <sup>1</sup>
          </xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Dourado</surname>
            <given-names>Raquel</given-names>
          </name>
          <role>Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content</role>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1001">
            <sup>1</sup>
          </xref>
        </contrib>
      </contrib-group>
      <aff id="aff1001">
        <label> 1 </label>
        <country country="PT">Portugal</country>
        <institution content-type="original"> Hospital do Divino Espirito Santo de Ponta Delgada EPE &#8211; Cardiologia, A&#231;ores &#8211; Portugal </institution>
      </aff>
      <author-notes>
        <corresp id="c01001">Mailing Address: Fabiana Duarte &#8226; Hospital do Divino Espirito Santo de Ponta Delgada EPE &#8211; Cardiologia - Av. D. Manuel I Ponta Delgada A&#231;ores 9500-370 - Portugal E-mail: f.duarte@campus.ul.pt</corresp>
        <fn fn-type="conflict">
          <p>Potential conflict of interest</p>
          <p>No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.</p>
        </fn>
        <fn fn-type="edited-by">
          <p>Editor responsible for the review: Gl&#225;ucia Maria Moraes de Oliveira</p>
        </fn>
      </author-notes>
      <kwd-group xml:lang="en">
        <kwd>Endocarditis</kwd>
        <kwd>Drug Therapy</kwd>
        <kwd>Echocardiography</kwd>
      </kwd-group>
    </front-stub>
    <body>
      <sec sec-type="intro">
        <title>Introduction</title>
        <p>Cancer patients are prone to infective endocarditis (IE), associated with specific causative agents, leading to poorer outcomes. The prevalence of IE in cancer patients ranges from 5.6% to 18%, with a reported 1-year mortality rate of nearly 30%. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B1">1</xref> - <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B3">3</xref></sup> Risk factors, such as a suppressed immune system, intravascular catheter use, and hypercoagulability, predispose malignancy patients to IE. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B2">2</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B3">3</xref></sup></p>
        <p>Clinical evolution is unfavorable due to high mortality rates related to antibiotic resistance, underlying medical conditions, lack of performed surgical interventions, and antitumoral therapy regimen discontinuation. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B2">2</xref> - <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B5">5</xref></sup></p>
        <p>According to the literature, <italic>Staphylococcal</italic> species, mainly <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic> and Enterococci, are common microorganisms causing IE in cancer patients. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B2">2</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B3">3</xref></sup></p>
        <p>We describe an unusual case of mitral valve IE caused by <italic>Serratia marcescens</italic> in a patient with hematological malignancy. Although bacteremia caused by <italic>S. marcescens</italic> , a non-HACEK gram-negative bacillus, is not uncommon, its association with IE is quite rare. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B6">6</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B7">7</xref></sup></p>
        <sec sec-type="cases">
          <title>Case report</title>
          <p>A 51-year-old male patient with a history of hypertension, smoking habits, and obesity underwent partial penectomy for ulcerated penile squamous cell carcinoma in January 2020. In March 2021, a thoracic-abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a mass on the left of the inguinal region with ilioinguinal and para-aortic enlarged lymph nodes. A biopsy confirmed regional lymph node (LN) metastases of penile carcinoma, and after multidisciplinary discussion, the patient was proposed for neoadjuvant chemotherapy before LN resection. Three courses of chemotherapy were completed through an implantable long-term central venous access in the right subclavian vein. No immediate complications were reported.</p>
          <p>Approximately 24 hours after the last treatment course, the patient presented to the emergency department complaining of fatigue, loss of appetite, and fever. The patient denied pleuritic pain or abdominal symptoms. On physical examination, he was hypotensive and febrile (tympanic temperature 38.4&#176;C), with polypnea, hypoxemia, and temporal and spatial disorientation. No additional findings were reported, including unremarkable cardiac examination. Blood sample analysis revealed anemia (hemoglobin 9.8 g/dL) and thrombocytopenia (platelet count 100000/&#181;L), acute kidney injury (creatinine 3.68 mg/dL, urea 130 mg/dL), rhabdomyolysis (creatine kinase 18567 U/L), high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP 19 mg/dL) and procalcitonin (PCT 51.6 ng/mL).</p>
          <p>During the diagnostic work-up, a thoracic CT scan showed multiple lung solid and cavitary nodules suggestive of septic pulmonary emboli ( <xref ref-type="fig" rid="f01001">Figure 1</xref> , A-C). At this stage, the diagnosis of septic shock with multiorgan dysfunction was proposed. Two sets of peripheral blood cultures were collected, and the patient was started on empirical antimicrobial therapy with ceftriaxone and metronidazole and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.</p>
          <p>
            <fig id="f01001">
              <label>Figure 1</label>
              <caption>
                <title>&#8211; A, B, C) Computed tomography chest scan (lung window) demonstrating bilateral wedge-shaped nodular lesions, some with cavitation (yellow arrow), the majority located at the periphery. Nodules have diameters ranging from a few millimeters to 18 mm, with the largest one being located on the left upper lobe.</title>
              </caption>
              <graphic xlink:href="1678-4170-abc-120-10-e20230268-30268-gf01-en.tif"/></fig>
          </p>
          <p>His condition deteriorated, requiring high-dose norepinephrine vasopressor therapy and supplemental oxygen. An abdominal/pelvic CT scan revealed the progression of neoplastic disease, and a brain CT scan showed no signs of cerebral embolization.</p>
          <p>According to antibiotic sensitivity tests <italic>, Serratia marcescens</italic> was isolated from blood cultures, and the initial antimicrobial regimen was adjusted to piperacillin-tazobactam. The long-term central venous catheter was removed and sent for culture, which isolated the same microorganism. A transthoracic echocardiogram was initially performed but was inconclusive due to a very poor acoustic window. A transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) performed during hospitalization revealed a single large mitral valve vegetation (maximum diameter of 23 mm) attached to the posterior leaflet of the mitral valve in the P2 and P3 scallop regions, without mitral regurgitation ( <xref ref-type="fig" rid="f02001">Figure 2</xref> , A-C). Other signs of locally uncontrolled infection were excluded, and the diagnosis of infective endocarditis was established.</p>
          <p>
            <fig id="f02001">
              <label>Figure 2</label>
              <caption>
                <title>&#8211; Initial transesophageal echocardiography performed during hospital stay. It revealed a large, filiform and mobile mitral vegetation (maximum diameter of 23 mm), attached to the atrial surface of the posterior mitral leaflet, involving P2 and P3 scallop regions (yellow arrow); TEE longitudinal view at 60&#186; (A) and at 120&#186; (B). No scallops prolapse or mitral regurgitation were evident (C).</title>
              </caption>
              <graphic xlink:href="1678-4170-abc-120-10-e20230268-30268-gf02-en.tif"/></fig>
          </p>
          <p>Although there was no consensus about appropriate antibiotic regimens, the patient received antimicrobial therapy with meropenem and gentamicin for six and two weeks, respectively. Attending to the presence of active metastatic neoplasm, he was not considered a candidate for surgical intervention.</p>
          <p>Repeated blood cultures after three days of effective antibiotic therapy were negative. The patient&#180;s clinical evolution was favorable, with progressive reduction of vasopressor and respiratory support, allowing for transfer to the Oncology Unit to complete the treatment.</p>
          <p>On repeat TEE on the 51 <sup>st</sup> day of the hospital stay, the vegetation disappeared, and only mild mitral regurgitation was visible. No images suggestive of fistula, abscess, or aneurysm formation were observed ( <xref ref-type="fig" rid="f03001">Figure 3</xref> , A-D). The patient was discharged and kept medical follow-up, although he decided against additional chemotherapy regimens.</p>
          <p>
            <fig id="f03001">
              <label>Figure 3</label>
              <caption>
                <title>&#8211; Transesophageal echocardiography performed at the 51 st day of hospital stay after antibiotic therapy. It reveals complete elimination of the mitral valve vegetation (zoom view of mitral valve at 60&#186; (A) and 120&#186; (B)). Color (C) and continuous (D) wave Doppler revealing a mild mitral valve regurgitation (effective regurgitant orifice area of 0.10 cm 2 by PISA method).</title>
              </caption>
              <graphic xlink:href="1678-4170-abc-120-10-e20230268-30268-gf03-en.tif"/></fig>
          </p>
        </sec>
      </sec>
      <sec sec-type="discussion">
        <title>Discussion</title>
        <p>The authors report a rare case of infective endocarditis caused by <italic>S. marcescens</italic> , an extremely rare agent accounting for 0.1% of all cases of endocarditis. Historically, <italic>S. marcescens</italic> , an opportunistic gram-negative bacillus, has been considered a causative agent of IE in intravenous drug users, but recently, a few cases in non-drug users with chronic medical disorders were reported. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B6">6</xref> - <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B8">8</xref></sup></p>
        <p>In patients with intravascular devices and septic shock, a high index of suspicion should be maintained to diagnose a device-related infection. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B2">2</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B3">3</xref></sup> In our case, the long-term central venous catheter was probably the source of the bacteremia in the hospital setting.</p>
        <p><italic>S. marcescens</italic> endocarditis often affects left-sided valves, causing significant valve destruction, septic embolization, and high mortality rates without surgical intervention. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B6">6</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B7">7</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B9">9</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B10">10</xref></sup> Appropriate antimicrobial therapy is uncertain due to considerable antibiotic resistance but accepted regimens typically involve a combination of a beta-lactam and an aminoglycoside. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B4">4</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B5">5</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B8">8</xref></sup> Surgery is often denied to cancer patients misguided by the concept of considerable comorbidity burden, and antitumoral therapy is usually withdrawn. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B1">1</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B2">2</xref></sup></p>
        <p>In this case, although unexpected, a conservative approach with antibiotic therapy was successful, resulting in complete resolution of mitral vegetation on TEE with minimal sequels and eliminating the need for surgery.</p>
        <p>To our knowledge, this is the first reported successful medical therapy for <italic>S. marcescens</italic> -caused IE in an immunocompromised patient. This case underscores important clinical practice considerations. Cancer patients on long-term chemotherapy with vascular access face an increased risk of healthcare-associated bloodstream infections, emphasizing the need for caution during invasive procedures. Atypical clinical presentation requires high suspicion for early detection and treatment. Given its rarity, each reported case in the literature contributes to better comprehending optimal prevention and treatment strategies. <sup><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B9">9</xref> , <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B10">10</xref> - <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B12">12</xref></sup></p>
      </sec>
    </body>
    <back>
      <fn-group>
        <fn fn-type="other">
          <p>Study association</p>
          <p>This study is not associated with any thesis or dissertation work.</p>
          <p>Ethics approval and consent to participate</p>
          <p>This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.</p>
        </fn>
        <fn fn-type="supported-by">
          <p>Sources of funding: There were no external funding sources for this study.</p>
        </fn>
      </fn-group>
    </back>
  </sub-article>
</article>
