A rare case of Listeria monocytogenes presenting as prosthetic valve bacterial endocarditis and aortic root abscess

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive bacillus that is rarely associated with infections in the general population. Those susceptible to this pathogen include neonates, pregnant women, and the immunocompromised. The most common clinical manifestations of listeriosis are bacteremia and meningitis. Endocarditis caused by L. monocytogenes is rare with less than 60 cases reported in the world literature. We report the case of an 81-year-old man who suffered aortic prosthetic valve listeria endocarditis, and examine the literature regarding this rare manifestation of human listeriosis.