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Gemella Morbillorum: A Rare Cause of Sub Acute Infective Endocarditis

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 3, 68 - 71, 15.10.2025
https://doi.org/10.58854/jicm.1773122

Abstract

Gemella morbillorum is a facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive cocci and are a commensal part of human flora in the oropharynx, gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts. A case of Gemella morbillorum sub acute infective endocarditis of the mitral valve in a patient with previous history of Rheumatic heart disease with mitral regurgitation is reported. The presentation was subacute, and the infection was complicated with severe mitral valve regurgitation. Blood cultures were positive for a viridans streptococcal species and Gemella morbillorum was identified by VITEK 2 Compact Automated system. Gemella morbillorum infections are very rare, and endocarditis is the most common presentation. G.morbillorum endocarditis is probably under recognized because of its difficulty in identification of the species and has not been reported frequently. In this case report the condition is briefed and the problems in the identification of the organism by conventional methods are discussed and the need for Automation in identification of pathogen in lab diagnosis is emphasized.

References

  • Tunnicliff R. The cultivation of a micrococcus from blood in pre-eruptive and eruptive stages of measles. JAMA 1917; 68:1028–30.
  • Shahani L. Gemella morbillorum prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis BMJ Case Rep 2014. doi:10.1136/bcr-2014-207304
  • Al Soub et al Gemella morbillorum endocarditis. Saudi Med J 2003; Vol. 24 (10): 1135-1137
  • Klipper-Baltz R, Schleifer KH. Transfer of Streptococcus morbillorum to the genus Gemella as Gemella morbillorum comp.nov. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1988; 38: 442-443.
  • Debast SB, Koot R, Meis CA. Infections caused by Gemella morbillorum. Lancet 1993; 342: 560
  • Bernard La Scola And Didier Raoult Molecular Identification of Gemella Species from Three Patients with Endocarditis Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Apr. 1998,p.866-871
  • Berger, U. 1961. A proposed new genus of gram-negative cocci: Gemella. Int. Bull. Bacteriol. Nomencl. Taxon. 11:17±19
  • García López E, Martín-Galiano AJ. The Versatility of Opportunistic Infections Caused by Gemella Isolates Is Supported by the Carriage of Virulence Factors from Multiple Origins. Front Microbiol. 2020 Mar 31; 11:524. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00524. PMID: 32296407; PMCID: PMC7136413
  • Lopez-DuplaM, Creus C, Navarro O, Raga X. Asssociation of Gemella morbillorum endocarditis with adenomatous polyps and carcinoma of the colon: case report and review. Clin Infect Dis 1996; 22: 379-380.
  • Kofteridis DP, Anastasopoulos T, Panagiotakis S, Kontopodis E, Samonis G. Endocarditis caused by Gemella morbillorum resistant to beta-lactams and aminoglycosides. Scand J Infect Dis. 2006;38(11-12):1125-7. doi: 10.1080/00365540600740538. PMID: 17148095
  • Cao X, Yuan L. Gemella morbillorum infective endocarditis: A case report and literature review. Open Life Sci. 2023 May 18;18(1):20220599. doi: 10.1515/biol-2022-0599. PMID: 37215499; PMCID: PMC10199321.
  • Akiyama K, Taniyasu N, Hirota J, Iba Y, Maisawa K. Recurrent aortic valve endocarditis caused by Gemella morbillorum -report of a case and review of the literature. Jpn Circ J. 2001 Nov;65(11):997-1000. doi: 10.1253/jcj.65.997. PMID: 11716255.

Gemella Morbillorum: A Rare Cause of Sub Acute Infective Endocarditis

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 3, 68 - 71, 15.10.2025
https://doi.org/10.58854/jicm.1773122

Abstract

Gemella morbillorum is a facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive cocci and are a commensal part of human flora in the oropharynx, gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts. A case of Gemella morbillorum sub acute infective endocarditis of the mitral valve in a patient with previous history of Rheumatic heart disease with mitral regurgitation is reported. The presentation was subacute, and the infection was complicated with severe mitral valve regurgitation. Blood cultures were positive for a viridans streptococcal species and Gemella morbillorum was identified by VITEK 2 Compact Automated system. Gemella morbillorum infections are very rare, and endocarditis is the most common presentation. G.morbillorum endocarditis is probably under recognized because of its difficulty in identification of the species and has not been reported frequently. In this case report the condition is briefed and the problems in the identification of the organism by conventional methods are discussed and the need for Automation in identification of pathogen in lab diagnosis is emphasized.

References

  • Tunnicliff R. The cultivation of a micrococcus from blood in pre-eruptive and eruptive stages of measles. JAMA 1917; 68:1028–30.
  • Shahani L. Gemella morbillorum prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis BMJ Case Rep 2014. doi:10.1136/bcr-2014-207304
  • Al Soub et al Gemella morbillorum endocarditis. Saudi Med J 2003; Vol. 24 (10): 1135-1137
  • Klipper-Baltz R, Schleifer KH. Transfer of Streptococcus morbillorum to the genus Gemella as Gemella morbillorum comp.nov. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1988; 38: 442-443.
  • Debast SB, Koot R, Meis CA. Infections caused by Gemella morbillorum. Lancet 1993; 342: 560
  • Bernard La Scola And Didier Raoult Molecular Identification of Gemella Species from Three Patients with Endocarditis Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Apr. 1998,p.866-871
  • Berger, U. 1961. A proposed new genus of gram-negative cocci: Gemella. Int. Bull. Bacteriol. Nomencl. Taxon. 11:17±19
  • García López E, Martín-Galiano AJ. The Versatility of Opportunistic Infections Caused by Gemella Isolates Is Supported by the Carriage of Virulence Factors from Multiple Origins. Front Microbiol. 2020 Mar 31; 11:524. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00524. PMID: 32296407; PMCID: PMC7136413
  • Lopez-DuplaM, Creus C, Navarro O, Raga X. Asssociation of Gemella morbillorum endocarditis with adenomatous polyps and carcinoma of the colon: case report and review. Clin Infect Dis 1996; 22: 379-380.
  • Kofteridis DP, Anastasopoulos T, Panagiotakis S, Kontopodis E, Samonis G. Endocarditis caused by Gemella morbillorum resistant to beta-lactams and aminoglycosides. Scand J Infect Dis. 2006;38(11-12):1125-7. doi: 10.1080/00365540600740538. PMID: 17148095
  • Cao X, Yuan L. Gemella morbillorum infective endocarditis: A case report and literature review. Open Life Sci. 2023 May 18;18(1):20220599. doi: 10.1515/biol-2022-0599. PMID: 37215499; PMCID: PMC10199321.
  • Akiyama K, Taniyasu N, Hirota J, Iba Y, Maisawa K. Recurrent aortic valve endocarditis caused by Gemella morbillorum -report of a case and review of the literature. Jpn Circ J. 2001 Nov;65(11):997-1000. doi: 10.1253/jcj.65.997. PMID: 11716255.
There are 12 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Case Reports
Authors

Meenakshi Shanmuga Sundaram

Usha Krishnan

Vijayalakshmi Arumugam

Jayaprakash N

Karthigeyan T.s

Pavya Rangasamy

Early Pub Date November 7, 2025
Publication Date October 15, 2025
Submission Date September 3, 2025
Acceptance Date October 9, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 10 Issue: 3

Cite

APA Shanmuga Sundaram, M., Krishnan, U., Arumugam, V., … N, J. (2025). Gemella Morbillorum: A Rare Cause of Sub Acute Infective Endocarditis. Journal of Immunology and Clinical Microbiology, 10(3), 68-71. https://doi.org/10.58854/jicm.1773122
AMA Shanmuga Sundaram M, Krishnan U, Arumugam V, N J, T.s K, Rangasamy P. Gemella Morbillorum: A Rare Cause of Sub Acute Infective Endocarditis. J Immunol Clin Microbiol. October 2025;10(3):68-71. doi:10.58854/jicm.1773122
Chicago Shanmuga Sundaram, Meenakshi, Usha Krishnan, Vijayalakshmi Arumugam, Jayaprakash N, Karthigeyan T.s, and Pavya Rangasamy. “Gemella Morbillorum: A Rare Cause of Sub Acute Infective Endocarditis”. Journal of Immunology and Clinical Microbiology 10, no. 3 (October 2025): 68-71. https://doi.org/10.58854/jicm.1773122.
EndNote Shanmuga Sundaram M, Krishnan U, Arumugam V, N J, T.s K, Rangasamy P (October 1, 2025) Gemella Morbillorum: A Rare Cause of Sub Acute Infective Endocarditis. Journal of Immunology and Clinical Microbiology 10 3 68–71.
IEEE M. Shanmuga Sundaram, U. Krishnan, V. Arumugam, J. N, K. T.s, and P. Rangasamy, “Gemella Morbillorum: A Rare Cause of Sub Acute Infective Endocarditis”, J Immunol Clin Microbiol, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 68–71, 2025, doi: 10.58854/jicm.1773122.
ISNAD Shanmuga Sundaram, Meenakshi et al. “Gemella Morbillorum: A Rare Cause of Sub Acute Infective Endocarditis”. Journal of Immunology and Clinical Microbiology 10/3 (October2025), 68-71. https://doi.org/10.58854/jicm.1773122.
JAMA Shanmuga Sundaram M, Krishnan U, Arumugam V, N J, T.s K, Rangasamy P. Gemella Morbillorum: A Rare Cause of Sub Acute Infective Endocarditis. J Immunol Clin Microbiol. 2025;10:68–71.
MLA Shanmuga Sundaram, Meenakshi et al. “Gemella Morbillorum: A Rare Cause of Sub Acute Infective Endocarditis”. Journal of Immunology and Clinical Microbiology, vol. 10, no. 3, 2025, pp. 68-71, doi:10.58854/jicm.1773122.
Vancouver Shanmuga Sundaram M, Krishnan U, Arumugam V, N J, T.s K, Rangasamy P. Gemella Morbillorum: A Rare Cause of Sub Acute Infective Endocarditis. J Immunol Clin Microbiol. 2025;10(3):68-71.

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