Infective endocarditis

Infective endocarditis refers to inflammation of the heart valves or the endocardium of the ventricular walls caused by direct infection by bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms (such as viruses, rickettsiae, chlamydiae, spirochetes, etc.), as distinguished from non-infective endocarditis caused by rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and other conditions. In the past, this disease was called bacterial endocarditis, but this term is no longer used because it is not comprehensive enough. The typical clinical manifestations of infective endocarditis include fever, murmurs, anemia, embolism, skin lesions, splenomegaly, and positive blood cultures.