Mycobacterium cheloneiInfection of Porcine Heart Valves

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Abstract
To the Editor: Laskowski et al. (N Engl J Med 297:101, 1977) described eight patients receiving porcine aortic valves from Hancock Laboratory contaminated with Mycobacterium chelonei. Only one patient sustained possible ill effects to this date.A 55-year-old black man received a porcine aortic valve from Hancock Laboratories December 15, 1976, at the Washington Hospital Center. The patient had had severe aortic insufficiency secondary to Group B beta-hemolytic streptococcal endocarditis one month before. Congestive heart failure developed that was not responsive to medical therapy. Two weeks after surgical valve replacement an atypical mycobacterium was isolated on Sabouraud's and other . . .