Renal damage due to infective endocarditis

Infective endocarditis is an inflammation of the heart valves or the endocardium of the ventricular walls caused by direct infection with microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms such as viruses, rickettsiae, chlamydiae, and spirochetes), including acute and subacute endocarditis. Renal damage caused by infective endocarditis is of two types: one is caused by microemboli or macroemboli, termed embolic nephritis or renal infarction. The other is caused by immune abnormalities, termed immune nephritis, which includes focal glomerulonephritis, focal glomerular necrosis, and diffuse glomerulonephritis, with histological changes similar to post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis.