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Many microorganisms can cause infective endocarditis. These are generally isolated by blood culture, where the patient's blood is drawn and any growth is noted and identified. The term bacterial endocarditis (BE) commonly is used, reflecting the fact that most cases of IE are due to bacteria; however, infective endocarditis (IE) has become the ...
The simplest classification is based on cause: either infective or non-infective, depending on whether a microorganism is the source of the inflammation or not. Regardless, the diagnosis of endocarditis is based on clinical features, investigations such as an echocardiogram , and blood cultures demonstrating the presence of endocarditis-causing ...
Other strains of streptococci can cause subacute endocarditis as well. These include streptococcus intermedius, which can cause acute or subacute infection (about 15% of cases pertaining to infective endocarditis). [7] Enterococci from urinary tract infections and coagulase negative staphylococci can also be causative agents. [5]
The HACEK organisms are a group of fastidious Gram-negative bacteria that are an unusual cause of infective endocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart due to bacterial infection. [1] HACEK is an abbreviation of the initials of the genera of this group of bacteria: Haemophilus , Aggregatibacter (previously Actinobacillus ...
The nodes are commonly indicative of subacute bacterial endocarditis. [4] 10–25% of endocarditis patients will have Osler's nodes. [5] Other signs of endocarditis include Roth's spots and Janeway lesions. The latter, which also occur on the palms and soles, can be differentiated from Osler's nodes because they are non-tender. [3]
In certain conditions (in particular, infective endocarditis), clots can migrate from the affected heart valve and find their way into various parts of the body. If this happens in the finger, it can cause damage to the capillaries resulting in a splinter hemorrhage. [citation needed] There are a number of other causes for splinter hemorrhages.
Roth's spots, also known as Litten spots or the Litten sign, [1] are non-specific red lesions with white or pale centres, seen on the retina of the eye and although traditionally associated with infective endocarditis, can occur in a number of other conditions including hypertension, diabetes, collagen vascular disease, extreme hypoxia, leukemia and HIV.
Janeway lesions are rare, non-tender, small erythematous or haemorrhagic macular, papular or nodular lesions on the palms or soles only a few millimeters in diameter that are associated with infective endocarditis and often indistinguishable from Osler's nodes. [1]