Endocarditis: causes, diagnosis, and treatment

Endocarditis

Heart-related Infection of the Mitral Valve)

Endocarditis is a heart related infection of valves and some of the lining inside the muscle of the heart, or the 'endocardium'. This infection is uncommon, although not rare, and it can be serious. Infection may either be caused due to contraction during dental or medical procedures and/or in someone with a predisposing heart abnormality, but this is not always a given factor according to medical sources. Stated by Ferreri, et al. (2005) is: "Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Although it is relatively rare in children, its incidence may be increasing. (Ferreri, et al., 2005) The management of this disease is complex in cases of young patients in terms of intensive and after-care. Postoperative care is stated to be of a long-term nature as well. Diagnosis is through proper use of microbiological testing assisted through improvements in sensitivity of testing in diagnosis of this disease. Antibiotics are newer can be used in children due to their recent availability. Endocarditis may be of the noninfective type as well. In noninfective endocarditis the 'vegetations' are not detected through clinical means but may "serve as a nidus for colonization by circulating microorganism, producing emboli, or impairing valvular function." (paraphrased: The Merck Manual of Diagnosis, 2005)