Failure of rifampicin and co-trimoxazole in Q fever endocarditis

Abstract

Information on the response of Q fever endocarditis to the newer antibiotics is slow to accumulate because of the rarity of the disease. Recently, primacy primary of tetracycline in its treatment has been challenged at least in vitro, and by one clinical success with rifampicin and by co-trimoxazole as a potential first choice. We report the complete failure of these and other antibiotics even to suppress Coxiella burnetii infection in a patient in whom tetracycline could not be used.