Staphylococcus aureus relapsing bacteremia originating from endovascular thrombi.

Two infants presented with a recurrent methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia occurring >2 months after the initial bacteremia. In both patients, clonal identity of the successive Staphylococcus aureus isolates, confirmed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis, pointed to relapsing bacteremia. Ultrasonographically proved persistence of an endovascular thrombus was considered as the focus of persistent infection in each case.