Infective endocarditis clinical presentation

Endocarditis is often referred to as either acute or subacute depending on the clinical presentation. Acute bacterial endocarditis is a fulminating infection associated with high fevers, systemic toxicity, and death within days to weeks if untreated. Subacute infectious endocarditis is a more indolent infection, usually occurring in a setting of prior valvular heart disease. 

Klug D, Lacroix D, Savoye C et al (1997) Systemic infection related to endocarditis on pacemaker leads clinical presentation and management. Circulation 95 2098-2107... 

Nearly every type of prosthesis used in humans has been associated with serious infections. These include orthopedic protheses (joint space or bone infections), prosthetic heart valves (endocarditis), vascular prostheses (graft infections and bacteremia), intraocular lens prostheses (endophthalmitis), hemodialysis (hepatitis, bacteremia and shunt site infections), cerebrospinal fluid shunts (ventriculitis), and all types of catheters. In many cases, fulminant infectious processes may be present in patients who present clinically with minimal signs and symptoms. 

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