Austrian Syndrome: Pneumococcal Meningitis, Pneumonia and Endocarditis – a Case Report

Czech version

Authors: J. Smetana ¹ ; P. Kosina ²; V. Boštíková ¹ ; S. Plíšek ²; Z. Hermanová ²; P. Boštík ³; J. Samek ⁴; M. Tomš ⁵; P. Rejtar ⁶; R. Chlíbek ¹
Authors‘ workplace: Katedra epidemiologie, FVZ UO, Hradec Králové ¹; Klinika infekčních nemocí LF UK a FN Hradec Králové ²; Centrum pokročilých studií, FVZ UO, Hradec Králové ³; Klinika anesteziologie, resuscitace a intenzívní medicíny LF UK a FN Hradec Králové ⁴; I. interní kardioangiologická klinika LF UK a FN Hradec Králové ⁵; Radiologická klinika LF UK a FN Hradec Králové ⁶
Published in: Cesk Slov Neurol N 2012; 75/108(4): 494-497
Category: Case Report

Overview

Austrian syndrome refers to concomitant meningitis, pneumonia and endocarditis in a patient infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae. We present a case report of a 37-year old patient admitted to the hospital with pneumococcal meningitis. He subsequently developed respiratory insufficiency and infectious endocarditis leading to an aortal valve defect. This defect was temporarily fixed with surgical implantation of an artificial valve that, however, had to be subsequently removed due to early insufficiency and replaced with a homo-graft. The patient was discharged 90 days after the initial admission in a good clinical condition.

Key words:
Austrian syndrome –⁠ meningitis –⁠ endocarditis –⁠ pneumonia –⁠ Streptococcus pneumoniae

Sources

1. Austrian R. Pneumococcal endocarditis, meningitis and rupture of the aortic valve. AMA Arch Intern Med 1957; 99(4): 539–544.

2. Gonzalez-Juanatey C, Testa A, Mayo J, Gonzalez-Gay MA. Austrian syndrome: report of two new cases and literature review. Int J Cardiol 2006; 108(2):

273–275.

3. Kim YM, Kim SA, Kim MG, Kwon YS, Kim EJ, Jo SH et al. Austrian syndrome with a delayed onset of heart failure. J Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2011; 19(1): 35–37.

4. Velazquez C, Araji O, Barquero JM, Perez-Duarte E,

Garcia-Borbolla M. Austrian syndrome: a clinical rarity. Int J Cardiol 2008; 127(2): e36–e38.

5. Beadsworth MB, Wooton D, Chenzbraun A, Beeching NJ. Austrian’s syndrome: the first described case of pneumococcal meningitis pneumonia and endocarditis in an injecting drug user. Eur J Intern Med 2007; 18(8): 605–606.

6. Motlová J, Kozáková J, Křížová P. Invazivní pneumokoková onemocnění v České republice v roce 2010. Zprávy EM (SZÚ Praha) 2011; 20(2): 64–69.

7. Aronin SI, Mukherjee SK, West JC, Cooney EL. Review of pneumococcal endocarditis in adults in the penicillin era. Clin Infect Dis 1998; 26(1):

165–171.