Copyright
©The Author(s) 2025.
World J Clin Cases. Oct 16, 2025; 13(29): 110965
Published online Oct 16, 2025. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i29.110965
Published online Oct 16, 2025. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i29.110965
Table 1 Infective endocarditis
Ref. | Year | Country | Patient(s) | Sex | Age, years | Granulicatella species | Diagnosis | Valves involved | Intervention(s) | Outcome/prognosis |
Jones et al[11] | 2018 | Georgia | 1 | Male | 70 | G. adiacens | Prosthetic valve IE | Aortic | Initially, piperacillin/tazobactam 3.375 g IV every 6 hours, levofloxacin 500 mg IV every 24 hours; then modified to vancomycin 15 mg/kg IV every 12 hours, ampicillin 2 g IV every 4 hours; finally, vancomycin continued and ceftriaxone 2 g IV every 12 hours (substituted for ampicillin) | Good prognosis |
Tong et al[8] | 2017 | China | 1 | Female | 42 | G. adiacens and Candida albicans | IE with systematic embolization | Aortic | Initially, empirical ampicillin/sulbactam for fever and abdominal pain; meropenem (500 mg IV every 8 hours) after admission; emergency surgery removed a 4 cm fish bone penetrating the left atrium with large vegetation; after the blood cultures, antimicrobial therapy adjusted to meropenem and voriconazole; after two weeks, therapy switched to moxifloxacin and fluconazole | Good prognosis |
Podgórska et al[28] | 2022 | Poland | 1 | Male | 20 | G. adiacens | IE | Mitral and aortic | Initially, empirical vancomycin, gentamicin, and rifampicin for suspected IE; cardiac surgery performed for mitral valve replacement and aortic homograft implantation; arterial-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation applied due to multi-organ failure; later, G. adiacens was identified and therapy switched to ceftriaxone and gentamicin | Good prognosis |
Rosenthal et al[13] | 2002 | Germany | 1 | Male | 68 | G. adiacens | Vertebral osteomyelitis and IE associated with a pacemaker lead | Not specified; vegetation was adjacent to the pacemaker lead | Bed rest, antibiotics (penicillin, rifampin, gentamicin), and discontinuation of gentamicin due to resistance | Good prognosis |
Verdecia et al[9] | 2019 | United States | 1 | Male | 42 | G. adiacens Peptostreptococcus species | Tri-valvular IE | Aortic, mitral, tricuspid | IV penicillin G, gentamicin and later vancomycin added | Scheduled follow-up; potential valve replacement surgery |
Warren et al[47] | 2023 | United States | 1 | Female | 74 | G. adiacens | Recurrent IE of a bioprosthetic aortic valve | Bio-prosthetic aortic | Initial treatment with IV ceftriaxone for six weeks; later re-operative aortic valve repair with modified nicks root enlargement; subsequent treatment with IV gentamicin and vancomycin for six weeks | Successful clearance of the bacteria after the second course of antibiotics and surgical intervention |
Tang et al[10] | 2021 | China | 1 | Male | 35 | G. adiacens | IE with aortic valve vegetation | Aortic | Initially, teicoplanin with ceftriaxone for six weeks, followed by aortic valve replacement surgery | Good prognosis |
Maudlin et al[12] | 2022 | Australia | 1 | Male | 32 | G. adiacens | Subacute IE presenting with right sacroilitis | Aortic | Six weeks course of IV ceftriaxone and a two-week course of synergistic gentamicin | Good prognosis |
Sim et al[39] | 2015 | Australia | 1 | Male | 57 | G. adiacens | Subacute IE associated with type II mixed cryoglobulinaemia | Aortic (non-coronary cusps) | Six weeks of benzylpenicillin therapy, followed by aortic valve replacement with a biological prosthesis | Good prognosis |
Dao et al[21] | 2022 | United States | 1 | Male | 69 | G. adiacens | Subacute IE presenting as diffuse alveolar hemorrhage and infection-related glomerulonephritis | Mitral (severe regurgitation and vegetation on posterior leaflet) | Ceftriaxone (later transitioned to ampicillin and gentamicin); mitral valve replacement and coronary artery bypass graft; continuous renal replacement therapy, mechanical ventilation, and vasopressor support | Mortality due to complications including cardiogenic shock |
De Luca et al[16] | 2013 | Italy | 2 | Male, female | 5, 7 | G. adiacens; G. elegans; Granulicatella balaenopterae | IE based on modified Duke criteria; IE involving the pulmonary valve homograft | No vegetation detected on echocardiography; pulmonary valve homograft | Initial treatment with cefotaxime and gentamicin; switched to ciprofloxacin and meropenem; initial treatment with vancomycin and gentamicin; switched to vancomycin plus meropenem; eventual pulmonary valve homograft replacement | Good prognosis |
Shaik et al[22] | 2020 | United States | 1 | Male | 46 | G. albicans | IE and post infectious glomerulonephritis | Mitral (vegetations identified) | IV vancomycin and immunosuppressive therapy; later placed on hemodialysis | Poor prognosis |
Patri and Agrawal[43] | 2016 | United States | 1 | Male | 63 | G. elegans | IE with large aortic valve vegetation and associated cervical discitis | Aortic | Initially, vancomycin and ceftriaxone, later switched to ampicillin and ceftriaxone | Mortality due to progressive heart failure |
Al-Tawfiq et al[14] | 2007 | Saudi Arabia | 1 | Male | 47 | G. elegans | Native valve IE | Mitral | IV antibiotics (not specified) for 7 days. Mitral valve debridement, repair of perforation, resection of posterior leaflet, and placement of Carpentier-Edwards ring | Good prognosis |
Casalta et al[6] | 2002 | France | 1 | Male | 29 | G. elegans | IE | Aortic | Initially, IV amoxicillin and gentamicin, then replacement of aortic valve with bioprosthetic valve | Good prognosis |
Vandana et al[25] | 2010 | India | 1 | Male | 71 | G. adiacens | IE with femoral embolism | Mitral | Initially, IV ampicillin (12 g/24 hours) and gentamicin (180 mg/24 hours). Surgical embolectomy (Fogarty’s procedure) for femoral artery thrombus. Antibiotic therapy for a total of five weeks | Good prognosis |
Patil et al[41] | 2019 | United States | 1 | Female | 44 | G. adiacens | IE with ruptured chordae tendinae, septic embolization, brain abscess and lumbar spine osteomyelitis | Mitral | IV vancomycin and meropenem. Mitral valve replacement with Hancock type 2 mitral valve tissue. Six-week course of IV vancomycin and ertapenem | Good prognosis |
Khan et al[18] | 2021 | United States | 1 | Female | 73 | G. adiacens | IE with severe aortic regurgitation | Aortic | Initially, IV ampicillin (2 g every 6 hours) and ceftriaxone (2 g every 24 hours) for 6 weeks with furosemide | Good prognosis |
Adam et al[7] | 2015 | Brazil | 4 | Male, male. male, female | 31, 64, 75, 59 | Not mentioned; G. adiacens; G. adiacens; Not mentioned | IE with complications such as abscess, fistula, embolism, and heart failure | Aortic | Initially, ceftriaxone, oxacillin, and gentamicin; valve replacement surgery; later teicoplanin + gentamicin. Ceftriaxone + oxacillin + gentamicin and valve replacement surgery; later teicoplanin. Penicillin and gentamicin, no surgery. Ceftriaxone + gentamicin; valve replacement surgery; later, vancomycin and gentamicin | Good prognosis; mortality due to complications; mortality due to embolism; good prognosis |
Holloway et al[15] | 2021 | United Kingdom | 1 | Female | 9 | G. elegans | IE | Echocardiogram revealed no clear vegetation, but increased stenosis of the right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit | Initially, benzylpenicillin and cefotaxime, then benzylpenicillin monotherapy for 2 weeks in the hospital followed by 4 weeks of ceftriaxone | Good prognosis |
Giuliano et al[32] | 2012 | Italy | 1 | Male | 40 | G. adiacens | IE with vegetation and erosion of aortic valve cusps, periannular abscess, and perivalvular pseudoaneurysm | Aortic | Empirical antibiotic therapy with ampicillin, gentamicin, and vancomycin (vancomycin discontinued after blood culture results). Aortic valve replacement on day 2. Combination therapy with ampicillin (12 g/day) and gentamicin (80 mg every 8 hours) for 4 weeks, followed by an additional 2-week regimen of ampicillin alone | Good prognosis |
Paula et al[49] | 2017 | Brazil | 1 | Male | 67 | Granulicatella species | IE of mitral valve in a kidney transplant recipient | Mitral | Initially, ciprofloxacin and metronidazole upon admission. Nitazoxanide (500 mg bid for 7 days) was administered, addressing the cause of diarrhea. The treatment was changed to piperacillin-tazobactam due to persistent fever. Once Granulicatella species was identified in blood cultures, the patient was started on crystalline penicillin G (12000 IU/day, dose adjusted for renal function) and gentamicin (200 mg/day) | Mortality due to septic shock of pulmonary origin |
Wang et al[20] | 2015 | China | 1 | Female | 32 | G. eligans | IE | Tricuspid | Initially, IV levofloxacin (750 mg every 24 hours) for 2 days. Then, IV penicillin (800 U every 12 hours) for 13 days based on antibiotic sensitivity testing | Good prognosis |
Chang et al[30] | 2008 | Taiwan | 1 | Male | 31 | G. adiacens | IE with infectious intracranial aneurysms and recurrent hemorrhagic stroke | Mitral | Initially, ampicillin/sulbactam for 14 days, followed by oral amoxicillin/clavulanic acid for 2 weeks. Surgical clipping of infectious intracranial aneurysms. Parenteral oxacillin and gentamicin therapy for recurrent intracranial aneurysms. Mitral valvuloplasty performed 5 months after stabilization of neurological function | Full clinical improvement with no further brain insults over a 5 year follow up period |
Morita et al[26] | 2017 | Japan | 1 | Female | 67 | G. adiacens | IE associated with primary Sjogren’s syndrome and chronic periodontitis | Aortic | Initially, ampicillin/oxacillin and gentamicin. Adjusted therapy to ampicillin and gentamicin based on antimicrobial susceptibility findings. Aortic valve replacement. Six weeks of ampicillin and gentamicin therapy | Good prognosis |
Shailaja et al[19] | 2013 | India | 1 | Male | 63 | G. adiacens | IE with multiple vegetations on the mitral valve | Mitral | Empirical treatment with high-dose IV ampicillin (2 g every 4 hours) and gentamicin (60 mg every 8 hours) for 28 days | Good prognosis |
Granda-Jiménez et al[17] | 2023 | United States | 1 | Female | 8 | G. elegans | IE with vegetation attached to the pulmonary trunk in a child with a history of patent ductus arteriosus | None specified; vegetations on pulmonary trunk | Forty days of IV ceftriaxone, followed by vegetation removal percutaneously. Patent ductus arteriosus closed with Amplatzer duct occluder 8/6 | Good prognosis |
Lin and Hsu et al[48] | 2007 | Taiwan | 4 | Female, male, male, female | 18, 61, 30, 21 | G. adiacens | IE with rheumatic heart disease and heart failure; IE with heart failure; IE with ruptured mycotic cerebral aneurysm; IE with heart failure and limb embolisation | Aortic; mitral and tricuspid; mitral; mitral and tricuspid | Aortic valve replacement with mechanical valve; penicillin and gentamicin. Mitral and tricuspid valve replacement with bioprosthesis; penicillin and gentamicin. Mitral valve repair; penicillin, gentamicin and ceftriaxone. Mitral and tricuspid valve replacement with bioprosthesis; penicillin, gentamicin and teicoplanin. | Good prognosis with no relapse |
Rhodes et al[24] | 2016 | United States | 7 | Male, female, male, male, female, male, male | 50, 25, 48, 60, 89, 31, 30 | Abiotrophia defective; Abiotrophia defectiva; G. adiacens; Abiotrophia defectiva; Abiotrophia defectiva; G. adiacens; G. adiacens | Mitral insufficiency, prior dental infection with IE; mitral valve prolapse, prior dental infection, IE; previous mitral valve repair and IE; severe mitral valve insufficiency and IE; history of rheumatic fever with IE; IE; IE | Mitral; mitral; mitral; mitral; mitral; mitral; mitral | Bioprosthetic mitral valve, dual chamber pacemaker, vancomycin, gentamicin, and cerebral angiography. Ceftriaxone, rifampcin, gentamicin, aneurysmal resection, microvascular bypass, mitral valve repair, plication of the posterior leaflet, insertion of new chordae. Penicillin, gentamicin and mitral valve repair. Penicillin, gentamicin, external ventricular drainage and aneurysm clipped. Penicillin and gentamicin. Ampicillin/sulbactum, oxacillin, gentamicin, right middle cerebral artery clipped, mitral valvuloplasty. Penicillin, ceftriaxone, gentamicin, mitral valve repair | Good prognosis |
Padmaja et al[31] | 2014 | India | 1 | Female | 48 | G. adiacens | IE | Mitral | Initially, with IV amikacin (1 mg/kg body weight). Definitive treatment with IV ceftriaxone (1 g) and gentamicin (80 mg) twice daily for four weeks | Good prognosis |
Farid et al[33] | 2019 | United States | 1 | Male | 62 | G. elegans | IE | Mitral | Mitral valve replacement surgery, followed by 6 weeks of parenteral therapy with vancomycin and gentamicin | Recovery with trivial prosthetic mitral valve regurgitation |
Freitas et al[40] | 2023 | Portugal | 1 | Male | 62 | G. adiacens | IE | Aortic | Three weeks of ampicillin and gentamicin followed by aortic valve replacement and interventricular communication repair. Later, extended antibiotics (26 days) for pulmonary valve vegetation due to high surgical risk | Good prognosis |
Quiroga et al[23] | 2012 | Spain | 1 | Male | 86 | G. adiacens | IE with associated glomerulopathy | Prosthetic aortic | IV daptomycin (10 mg/kg/48 hours), later switched to ceftriaxone; tooth extraction; no surgical intervention due to age and comorbidities | Patient died after 3 months (Enterococcus species sepsis) due to the permanent catheter |
Culleton et al[37] | 2016 | Ireland | 1 | Male | 35 | G. adiacens | IE with embolic stroke and splenic artery aneurysms | Mitral and aortic | Mitral and aortic valve repair surgery, followed by emergency splenectomy | Good prognosis |
Rahimi et al[35] | 2022 | Malaysia | 1 | Male | 19 | G. adiacens | IE complicated by left ventricular pseudoaneurysm | Aortic | IV antibiotics prior to collapse and death | Mortality prior to diagnosis |
Perkins et al[27] | 2003 | Spain | 1 | Male | 57 | G. adiacens | IE | Aortic and mitral | Ampicillin and gentamicin | Good prognosis |
Opperman et al[38] | 2020 | South Africa | 1 | Female | 29 | G. adiacens | IE with stroke and mycotic aneurysm | Mitral | IV penicillin for 4 weeks and gentamycin for 2 weeks | Good prognosis |
Prakash et al[46] | 2018 | India | 1 | Male | 56 | G. adiacens | Acute native valve endocarditis | Mitral | IV ceftriaxone 2 g once daily and gentamycin 70 mg once daily for 6 weeks | Good prognosis |
Garibyan and Shaw[34] | 2013 | United States | 1 | Male | 50 | G. adiacens | Bivalvular IE | Mitral and aortic | Initial treatment with vancomycin, switched to penicillin and gentamicin based on antibiotic susceptibility; mitral and aortic valve replacement surgery; post-operative IV penicillin for two weeks | Good prognosis |
Halford et al[36] | 2019 | United States | 1 | Male | 82 | G. adiacens | IE with paravalvular abscess and complete heart block | Aortic | Tissue aortic valve replacement, pacemaker placement, and antibiotic regimen of ampicillin and ceftriaxone for 6 weeks | Good prognosis |
Sendi et al[42] | 2019 | Switzerland | 1 | Female | 32 | G. adiacens | Cardiac implantable electronic devices-related infection and bioprosthesis endocarditis | Bioprosthetic pulmonary valve | Conservative treatment with penicillin G and gentamicin for 2 weeks, followed by ceftriaxone for 4 weeks, and oral amoxicillin for 6 weeks (total 12 weeks of therapy); no device removal or surgical intervention | Good prognosis |
Jeng et al[44] | 2005 | United States | 1 | Male | 18 | G. adiacens | Prosthetic valve IE | Prosthetic pulmonary valve | Vancomycin, gentamicin and rifampin for 6 weeks | Good prognosis |
Loganathan et al[29] | 2020 | United States | 1 | Female | 81 | G. adiacens | IE and tubulovillous adenoma of the sigmoid colon | Aortic | Started on vancomycin and discharged home on IV vancomycin for 6 weeks for native valve IE | Good prognosis |
García-Granja et al[47] | 2019 | Spain | 5 | Male, male, male, male, male | 43, 53, 57, 65, 50 | G. adiacens, Abiotrophia defective; G. adiacens, Abiotrophia defective; G. adiacens, Abiotrophia defective; G. adiacens, Abiotrophia defective; Abiotrophia defectiva | IE with vegetation; IE with vegetation and periannular complications; IE with vegetation; IE with vegetation, renal failure, and septic shock; IE with vegetation | Aortic native valve; aortic native valve; mitral native valve; mitral native valve; aortic native valve | Elective surgery for severe valvular regurgitation, antibiotic therapy with ceftriaxone and gentamicin for 4 weeks. Urgent surgery due to periannular complications, antibiotic therapy with penicillin and gentamicin for 5 weeks. No surgery required, antibiotic therapy with ampicillin and gentamicin for 4 weeks. Urgent surgery due to heart failure, antibiotic therapy with penicillin, ceftriaxone, and gentamicin for 4 weeks. Urgent surgery due to heart failure, antibiotic therapy with penicillin and gentamicin for 4 weeks | Good prognosis; mortality; good prognosis; mortality due to septic shock; good prognosis |
Table 2 Osteomyelitis
Ref. | Year | Country | Patients | Sex | Age, years | Granulicatella species | Diagnosis | Intervention | Outcome/prognosis |
Rosenthal et al[13] | 2002 | Germany | 1 | Male | 68 | G. adiacens | Vertebral osteomyelitis at the T10/11 Level and IE | Bed rest, antibiotics (penicillin, rifampin, gentamicin), and discontinuation of gentamicin due to resistance | Good prognosis |
Hepburn et al[54] | 2003 | United States | 1 | Female | 68 | G. adiacens | Septic arthritis | Arthroscopic irrigation, cefazolin (4 weeks), gentamicin (2 weeks), and synovial fluid inoculation into blood culture bottles for diagnosis | Good prognosis |
Fukuda et al[50] | 2010 | Japan | 1 | Male | 73 | G. adiacens | Vertebral osteomyelitis at L3/L4 Level and discitis | penicillin G (20 million U/day) and gentamicin (150 mg/day) for 4 weeks, followed by amoxicillin (1500 mg/day); mitral valvoplasty performed 107 days after treatment initiation | Good prognosis |
York et al[51] | 2016 | Sweden | 1 | Male | 46 | G. adiacens | Vertebral osteomyelitis at L2 Level | Lateral corpectomy and posterior fixation for spinal stabilization; antibiotic therapy with vancomycin and ceftazidime, later narrowed to vancomycin for six weeks | Good prognosis |
Sandhu et al[52] | 2017 | United States | 1 | Male | 61 | G. adiacens | Vertebral osteomyelitis at L3/4 Level | Ceftriaxone and gentamicin | Good prognosis |
Bakhsh et al[53] | 2017 | United States | 1 | Male | 48 | Granulicatella/Abiotrophia species | Vertebral osteomyelitis at L3/4 Level with associated discitis and epidural phlegmon | IV vancomycin for 6 weeks | Good prognosis |
Gupta et al[56] | 2018 | India | 2 | Male; male | 30; 18 | G. adiacens; G. adiacens | Suprapatellar abscess; right elbow abscess | Abscess drainage, intravenous cefotaxime, followed by oral cefuroxime; abscess drainage | Good prognosis; patient lost to follow up |
Patil et al[41] | 2019 | United States | 1 | Female | 44 | G. adiacens | Vertebral osteomyelitis at L3-L4 Level, native mitral valve IE, and brain abscess | Mitral valve replacement surgery; six weeks of intravenous vancomycin and ertapenem | Good prognosis |
Mizuki et al[55] | 2019 | Japan | 1 | Female | 10 | G. adiacens | Chronic mandibular osteomyelitis | Initially, ampicillin/sulbactam; later switched to linezolid and ciprofloxacin due to adverse drug events; multiple curettages of mandibular bone; hyperbaric oxygen therapy | Good prognosis |
Van Der Palen et al[57] | 2021 | Egypt | 1 | Male | 45 | G. adiacens | Vertebral osteomyelitis at L2/L3 Level | Intravenous penicillin (6 million U/day for 3 weeks), followed by oral clindamycin (600 mg three times daily for 2 weeks) | Good prognosis |
Kuo et al[58] | 2020 | Taiwan | 1 | Female | 40 | G. adiacens | Vertebral osteomyelitis at L5/S1 Level following mitral valve repair | Percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar lumbar discectomy; intravenous vancomycin for 14 days, followed by oral amoxicillin | Good prognosis |
Maudlin et al[12] | 2022 | Australia | 1 | Male | 32 | G. adiacens | Subacute IE with right sacroilitis | Six-week course of intravenous ceftriaxone (2 g daily) and two-week course of gentamicin (240 mg daily); no surgical intervention | Good prognosis |
Table 3 Pulmonary infections
Ref. | Year | Country | Patient(s) | Sex | Age, years | Granulicatella species | Diagnosis | Intervention | Outcome/prognosis |
Yang et al[59] | 2021 | China | 1 | Female | 52 | G. adiacens (along with Eikenella corrodens and Staphylococcus aureus) | Lung abscess with right-sided hydropneumothorax and bronchogenic carcinoma | Thoracic puncture and drainage, antibiotic therapy with moxifloxacin and ornidazole, and nutritional support | Good prognosis |
Freire et al[60] | 2022 | United States | 1 | Male | 41 | G. adiacens and Streptococcus constellatus | Lung abscess with persistent left lower lobe collapse | Augmentin for 4 weeks, followed by IV vancomycin and oral levofloxacin for 6 weeks; segmentectomy scheduled due to persistent lung collapse | Persistence of lung collapse secondary to abscesses |
Koh et al[67] | 2014 | Korea | 3 | Male; male; male | 62; 21; 49 | G. adiacens; G. adiacens; G. adiacens | Sepsis; pneumonia; peritonitis and advanced gastric cancer | IV cefotaxime and IV vancomycin; antibiotics (details not given); antibiotics (details not given) | Good prognosis; good prognosis; good prognosis |
Purohit et al[68] | 2022 | India | 1 | Male | 68 | G. adiacens | Left sided empyema complicated by sepsis and necrotizing fasciitis | Initially, cefuroxime. Later: Ceftriaxone and linezolid, intercostal chest tube placement for fluid drainage; fasciotomy for necrotizing fasciitis | Mortality due to acute myocardial infarction |
Mvelase et al[69] | 2016 | South Africa | 1 | Female | 30 | G. elegans | Thoracic empyema with tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus infection | Intercostal drainage of pleural effusion; initially, ceftriaxone. Later switched to penicillin based on susceptibility testing; three weeks of hospitalization | Good prognosis |
Acharya et al[63] | 2020 | United States | 1 | Male | 56 | G. adiacens | Right-sided multifocal pneumonia with complex parapneumonic effusion and bacteremia | Chest tube drainage, tissue plasminogen activator and deoxyribonuclease therapy, and antibiotic regimen including vancomycin, piperacillin/tazobactam, ceftriaxone, ampicillin, gentamicin, and metronidazole | Good prognosis |
Table 4 Gastrointestinal infections
Ref. | Year | Country | Patient(s) | Sex | Age, years | Granulicatella species | Diagnosis | Intervention(s) | Outcome/prognosis |
Abdul-Redha et al[73] | 2007 | Denmark | 3 | Male; female; female | 78; 71; 47 | G. elegans; G. elegans; G. elegans | Bacteremia with abdominal focus (ileus and necrosis of the ascending colon). Bacteremia with abdominal focus (intestinal perforation and intra-abdominal abscess). Bacteremia with abdominal focus (intra-abdominal abscess) | Right-side hemicolectomy; antibiotics (cefuroxime, metronidazole, ciprofloxacin). Surgery for intestinal perforation and abscess drainage; antibiotics (penicillin, gentamicin, metronidazole, imipenem, amphotericin B). Surgery for intra-abdominal abscess; antibiotics (penicillin, gentamicin, metronidazole, cefuroxime, ciprofloxacin) | Mortality; good prognosis; good prognosis |
Koh et al[67] | 2014 | Korea | 3 | Male; male; male | 62; 21; 49 | G. adiacens; G. adiacens; G. adiacens | Sepsis; pneumonia; peritonitis and advanced gastric cancer | IV cefotaxime and IV vancomycin; antibiotics (details not given); antibiotics (details not given) | Good prognosis; good prognosis; good prognosis |
Vivar et al[74] | 2017 | United States | 1 | Female | 13 | Granulicatella and Abiotrophia species (not specified) | Peritonitis associated with ventriculoperitoneal shunt and central nervous system infection | Laparoscopic surgery, ventriculoperitoneal shunt externalization, and antibiotic therapy including vancomycin, rifampin, and metronidazole | Good prognosis |
Cincotta et al[75] | 2015 | United States | 1 | Male | 50 | G. adiacens | Bacterascites (nonneutrocytic monomicrobial ascites) | Vancomycin | Good prognosis |
Shamrock et al[76] | 2019 | United States | 1 | Male | 5 | G. adiacens | Ruptured appendicitis with retrocecal abscess | Abscess drainage, IV antibiotics (vancomycin and meropenem), followed by oral amoxicillin/clavulanate and metronidazole; elective laparoscopic appendectomy performed 3 months later | Good prognosis |
Elfessi et al[77] | 2019 | United States | 1 | Male | 38 | G. adiacens | Secondary bacterial peritonitis associated with malignant ascites | Fuid resuscitation, removal of the peritoneal catheter, initial broad-spectrum antibiotics (vancomycin, aztreonam, and metronidazole), later narrowed to vancomycin monotherapy (8 days) | Good prognosis |
Table 5 Septic shock
Author | Year | Country | Patients | Sex | Age, years | Granulicatella species | Diagnosis | Intervention | Outcome/prognosis |
Cho et al[70] | 2021 | South Korea | 1 | Male | 45 | G. adiacens | Septic shock due to a splenic abscess following endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy of a splenic mass | Initially, IV piperacillin/tazobactam, later switched to ampicillin/sulbactam; splenectomy performed 40 days after septic shock event; subsequent chemotherapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma | Good prognosis |
Gardenier et al[86] | 2011 | United States | 1 | Female | 89 | G. adiacens | Sepsis due to trauma injuries | Cefazolin | Good prognosis |
Shaik et al[22] | 2020 | United States | 1 | Male | 46 | Granulicatella albicans | IE and post-infectious glomerulonephritis | IV vancomycin and immunosuppressive therapy. Later placed on hemodialysis. | Poor prognosis |
Datta et al[89] | 2018 | United States | 1 | Female | 69 | G. adiacens | Bacteremia with brain metastases | Single dose of oritavancin after vancomycin therapy | Mortality |
Quartermain et al[90] | 2013 | United Kingdom | 1 | Male | Neonate | G. adiacens | Neonatal bacteremia | Benzylpenicillin and amikacin for 6 days | Good prognosis |
Koh et al[67] | 2014 | Korea | 3 | Male, male, male | 62; 21; 49 | G. adiacens; G. adiacens; G. adiacens | Sepsis; pneumonia; peritonitis and advanced gastric cancer | IV cefotaxime and IV vancomycin; antibiotics (details not given); antibiotics (details not given) | Good prognosis; Good prognosis; Good prognosis |
Chen et al[87] | 2016 | Taiwan | 1 | Male | 81 | G. adiacens | Bacteremia following flexible sigmoidoscopy | Initially: Ampicillin/sulbactam and clarithromycin. Later: Ampicillin and gentamicin | Good prognosis |
Divoky et al[88] | 2014 | United States | 2 | Female, female | 38; 47 | G. adiacens, Streptococcus agalactiae | Bacteremia complicating endometrial ablation | IV vancomycin, IV ciprofloxacin and IV gentamicin; IV ampicillin, clindamycin and gentamicin | Good prognosis |
Lopardo et al[91] | 2007 | Argentina | 1 | Male | 6 | Abiotophia defectivea | Bacteremia in immunocompromised patient | Ceftazidime and amikacin, later changing amikacin to vancomycin, teicoplanin and acyclovir | Good prognosis |
Shamrock et al[76] | 2019 | United States | 1 | Male | 5 | G. adiacens | Ruptured appendicitis with retrocecal abscess | Abscess drainage, IV antibiotics (vancomycin and meropenem), followed by oral amoxicillin/clavulanate and metronidazole; elective laparoscopic appendectomy performed 3 months later | Good prognosis |
Elfessi et al[77] | 2019 | United States | 1 | Male | 38 | G. adiacens | Secondary bacterial peritonitis associated with malignant ascites | Fuid resuscitation, removal of the peritoneal catheter, initial broad-spectrum antibiotics (vancomycin, aztreonam, and metronidazole), later narrowed to vancomycin monotherapy (8 days) | Good prognosis |
Table 6 Brain abscess
Ref. | Year | Country | Patients | Sex | Granulicatella species | Diagnosis | Intervention | Outcome/prognosis |
Datta et al[89] | 2018 | United States | 1 | Female | G. adiacens | Bacteremia with brain metastases | Single dose of oritavancin after vancomycin therapy | Mortality |
Patil et al[41] | 2019 | United Kingdom | 1 | Female | G. adiacens | IE with ruptured chordae tendinae, septic embolization, brain abscess and lumbar spine osteomyelitis | IV vancomycin and meropenem. Mitral valve replacement with Hancock type 2 mitral valve tissue. Six-week course of intravenous vancomycin and ertapenem | Good prognosis |
Cerceo et al[99] | 2004 | United States | 2 | Female; female | G. adiacens; Abiotrophia defectiva | Epidural abscess with meningitis. Brain abscess with meningitis | Surgical drainage of epidural abscess; antibiotic therapy with penicillin and gentamicin; vancomycin and gentamicin | Good prognosis; good prognosis |
Yeung[92] | 2021 | Canada | 1 | Female | G. adiacens | Central nervous system infection following suboccipital craniotomy for grade 1 pilocytic astrocytom | Initially, penicillin G and gentamicin; later switched to meropenem due to resistance; finally transitioned to vancomycin; total of 30 days of effective antimicrobial therapy | Good prognosis |
Chang et al[30] | 2008 | Taiwan | 1 | Male | G. adiacens | IE with infectious intracranial aneurysms and recurrent hemorrhagic stroke | Initially, ampicillin/sulbactam for 14 days, followed by oral amoxicillin/clavulanic acid for 2 weeks. Surgical clipping of intracranial aneurysms. Parenteral oxacillin and gentamicin therapy for recurrent infectious intracranial aneurysms. Mitral valvuloplasty performed 5 months after stabilization of neurological function | Symptom resolution with no further brain insults over a 5 year follow up period |
Culleton et al[37] | 2016 | Ireland | 1 | Male | G. adiacens | IE with embolic stroke and splenic artery aneurysms | Mitral and aortic valve repair surgery, followed by emergency splenectomy | Good prognosis |
Akyol et al[100] | 2018 | Turkey | 1 | Male | G. elegans, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Peptoniphilus asaccharolyticus | Brain abscess in the right temporal region following tooth extraction | Abscess drainage, empirical antibiotic therapy with ceftriaxone and metronidazole, later switched to penicillin, and subsequently to linezolid due to penicillin allergy; total of 10 weeks of antibiotic treatment | Good prognosis |
Vivar et al[74] | 2017 | United States | 1 | Female | Granulicatella species; Abiotrophia species; (not specified) | Peritonitis associated with ventriculoperitoneal shunt and central nervous system infection | Laparoscopic surgery, ventriculoperitoneal shunt externalization, and antibiotic therapy including vancomycin, rifampin, and metronidazole | Good prognosis |
Opperman et al[38] | 2020 | South Africa | 1 | Female | G. adiacens | IE with stroke and mycotic aneurysm | IV penicillin for 4 weeks and gentamycin for 2 weeks | Good prognosis |
Table 7 Implant infections
Ref. | Year | Country | Patient(s) | Sex | Age, years | Granulicatella species | Diagnosis | Intervention | Outcomes/prognosis |
Jones et al[11] | 2018 | Georgia | 1 | Male | 70 | G. adiacens | Prosthetic valve IE | Initially, piperacillin/tazobactam 3.375 g IV every 6 hours, levofloxacin 500 mg IV every 24 hours. Then modified to vancomycin 15 mg/kg IV every 12 hours, ampicillin 2 g IV every 4 hours. Finally, vancomycin continued and ceftriaxone 2 g IV every 12 hours (substituted for ampicillin) | Good prognosis |
del Pozo et al[101] | 2008 | Spain | 1 | Female | 32 | G. adiacens | Bilateral breast implant associated infection | Initially, clindamycin and levofloxacin; later switched to a combination of rifampin and amoxicillin for 4 months after relapse | Good prognosis |
Warren et al[47] | 2023 | United States | 1 | Female | 74 | G. adiacens | Recurrent IE of a bioprosthetic aortic valve | Initial treatment with intravenous ceftriaxone for six weeks; later re-operative aortic valve repair with modified nicks root enlargement; subsequent treatment with intravenous gentamicin and vancomycin for six weeks | Good prognosis |
Aweid et al[107] | 2016 | United Kingdom | 1 | Male | 81 | G. adiacens | Prosthetic hip joint infection following dental treatment | Surgical washout and debridement, followed by a combination of antibiotics (including benzylpenicillin, flucloxacillin, vancomycin, and others) | Mortality due to community acquired pneumonia |
Badrick et al[102] | 2021 | Australia | 1 | Male | 79 | G. adiacens | Prosthetic hip infection following dental treatment | Two-stage revision total hip arthroplasty with antibiotic-impregnated cement spacer and six weeks of intravenous benzyl penicillin | Good prognosis |
Pingili et al[108] | 2017 | United States | 1 | Male | 64 | G. adiacens | Prosthetic knee infection following dental treatment | Resection of the infected knee arthroplasty, placement of antibiotic cement spacer, and IV ertapenem for 6 weeks; followed by revision total knee arthroplasty | Good prognosis |
Riede et al[109] | 2004 | Switzerland | 1 | Male | 43 | G. adiacens | Prosthetic knee associated infection | Implantation of gentamicin loaded cement spacer with IV amoxicillin and amikacin, reimplantation surgery of knee with IV amoxicillin, amikacin and oral rifampin contineud | Good prognosis |
Quiroga et al[23] | 2012 | Spain | 1 | Male | 86 | G. adiacens | IE with associated glomerulopathy | IV daptomycin (10 mg/kg/48 hours), later switched to ceftriaxone; tooth extraction; no surgical intervention due to age and comorbidities | God prognosis |
Plate et al[112] | 2018 | Switzerland | 1 | Male | 60 | G. adiacens | Aortic endograft infection | Combination therapy clarithromycin, rifabutin, ethambutol and amikacin. Later, amikacin replaced by moxifloxacin | Good prognosis |
Sendi et al[42] | 2019 | Switzerland | 1 | Female | 32 | G. adiacens | Cardiac implantable electronic devices-related infection and bioprosthesis endocarditis | Conservative treatment with penicillin G and gentamicin for 2 weeks, followed by ceftriaxone for 4 weeks, and oral amoxicillin for 6 weeks (total 12 weeks of therapy); no device removal or surgical intervention | Good prognosis |
Mougari et al[110] | 2016 | France | 1 | Male | 55 | G. adiacens | Prosthetic knee arthritis following dental treatment | Two-step surgery involving prosthesis removal, synovectomy, and curettage; placement of a spacer; antimicrobial therapy with amoxicillin and rifampicin for three months; reimplantation of a total knee prosthesis | Good prognosis |
Narayana Murthy et al[111] | 2021 | United Kingdom | 1 | Male | 65 | G. adiacens | Prosthetic knee joint infection following acupuncture treatment | Initial treatment with IV vancomycin, followed by six weeks of IV clindamycin (450 mg four times daily); additional open debridement surgery to reduce bacterial load | Good prognosis |
Jeng et al[44] | 2005 | United States | 1 | Male | 18 | G. adiacens | Prosthetic valve IE | Vancomycin, gentamicin and rifampin for 6 weeks. | Good prognosis |
Table 8 Urinary tract infections
Ref. | Year | Country | Patient(s) | Sex | Age, years | Granulicatella species | Diagnosis | Intervention | Outcomes/prognosis |
Arora et al[118] | 2016 | India | 1 | Male | 63 | G. adiacens | Urethritis | Diagnosis involved urethral swabs, Gram-staining, and culture on chocolate agar to identify the causative pathogen | Not explicitly mentioned |
Lopardo et al[91] | 2007 | Argentina | 2 | Male; female | 12; 4 | G. adiacens | UTI; maxillary sinusitis | Amoxicillin; initially, oral ceftriaxone. Later, ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole | Good prognosis; mortality due to relapse of ALL |
Table 9 Eye infections
Ref. | Year | Country | Patient(s) | Sex | Age, years | Granulicatella species | Diagnosis | Intervention | Outcomes/prognosis |
Ku et al[119] | 2015 | United States | 1 | Female | 46 | G. adiacens | Chronic dacryocystitis | External dacryocystorhinostomy with Crawford stent placement; postoperative antibiotics included oral cephalexin, erythromycin ointment, and tobramycin-dexamethasone drops | Good prognosis |
Kim et al[121] | 2016 | South Korea | 1 | Male | 35 | G. elegans | Periorbital infection of the eyelid following dental treatment | Initial treatment with oral amoxicillin/clavulanate for 1 week; recurrence treated with surgical drainage and a 6-week course of oral amoxicillin | Good prognosis |
Al-Lozi et al[115] | 2022 | United States | 2 | Female; female | 24; 65 | G. adiacens; G. adiacens | Microbial keratitis with a history of herpes simplex virus type 1 and candida parapsilosis keratitis; microbial keratitis with associated endophthalmitis following penetrating keratoplasty | Topical vancomycin and oral valacyclovir. Intravitreal vancomycin, amikacin, voriconazole, and surgical interventions including keratoprosthesis and pars plana vitrectomy | Good prognosis; good prognosis |
Teo et al[122] | 2011 | Singapore | 1 | Male | 40 | G. adiacens | Orbital abscess secondary to a retained wooden foreign body after trauma | Surgical exploration, drainage of the abscess, removal of the wooden foreign body, and a 6-week course of oral levofloxacin following initial intravenous antibiotics | Good prognosis |
Steinmetz et al[123] | 2021 | United States | 2 | Female; male | 74; 88 | G. adiacens; Abiotrophia defectiva | 1.Endophthalmitis following intravitreal anti-VEGF injection 2.Endophthalmitis following intravitreal anti-VEGF injection | Vitreous tap and injection of intravitreal vancomycin, ceftazidime, and triamcinolone acetonide; followed by pars plana vitrectomy. Vitreous tap and injection of intravitreal vancomycin and ceftazidime; followed by pars plana vitrectomy | Good prognosis; good prognosis; good prognosis |
Ishino et al[120] | 2022 | Japan | 1 | Female | 55 | G. adiacens | Postoperative acute infectious endophthalmitis following cataract surgery | Vitrectomy, intraocular lens extraction, silicone oil tamponade, and administration of antibiotics (vancomycin, ceftazidime, levofloxacin, cefmenoxime, and imipenem) | Good prognosis |
Table 10 Miscellaneous infections
Ref. | Year | Country | Patient(s) | Sex | Age, years | Granulicatella species | Diagnosis | Intervention | Outcomes/prognosis |
Kawai and Shiojiri[124] | 2021 | Japan | 1 | Male | 58 | G. adiacens | Septic internal jugular vein thrombosis with pulmonary embolism and intramuscular abscesses, associated with poor oral hygiene | Long-term antibiotics (initially ampicillin, then cefotaxime, and later oral amoxicillin) and drainage of abscesses; anticoagulation therapy (edoxaban) was initiated to manage thrombosis | Good prognosis |
Stofferahn et al[126] | 2011 | United States | 1 | Male | 52 | G. adiacens | Lingual abscess | Initially, ampicillin/sulbactum and linezolid with therapeutic needle aspiration of the lesion. Later, amoxicillin/clavulanate monotherapy. | Good prognosis |
Altay et al[127] | 2008 | Turkey | 1 | Female | 55 | G. adiacens | Peritonitis on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis | Cefazolin and gentamicin for 14 days | Good prognosis |
Gensheimer et al[128] | 2010 | United States | 1 | Female | 20 | Abiotrophia/Granulicatella | Tubo-ovarian abscess in a virginal adolescent female | Diagnostic laparoscopy and exploratory laparotomy; right salpingo-oophorectomy; antibiotic therapy with piperacillin/tazobactam and metronidazole | Good prognosis |
- Citation: Bokhari SFH, Bakht D, Amir M, Haris HM, Ain NU, Qureshi MS, Yousaf F, Yousaf R, Ali K, Javed MA, Awais MN, Zahid M, Shaukat M, Usman S, Hassan A, Ejaz M. Granulicatella infections: Comprehensive review of an elusive opportunistic pathogen. World J Clin Cases 2025; 13(29): 110965
- URL: https://www.wjgnet.com/2307-8960/full/v13/i29/110965.htm
- DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.12998/wjcc.v13.i29.110965