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Culture-negative endocarditis
Culture-negative endocarditis
OverviewSymptomsTreatmentPrevention

Culture-negative endocarditis

Alternative Names:
Endocarditis (culture-negative)

Symptoms:
Fever, extreme fatigue and breathing difficulty are common symptoms of endocarditis.

Signs and tests:

Signs of endocarditis include:

  • tachycardia (fast heart rate)
  • fever
  • a new heart murmur on cardiac exam

The following tests may be requested:

  • an ECG and a chest X-ray.
  • a complete blood count.
  • blood cultures: these are often used to identify the germ causing the infection, but when certain bacteria called "fastidious organisms" (such as Bartonella, Coxiella, Mycobacterium, and germs of the HACEK group) are responsible for the endocarditis, cultures may not grow germs. The identification of responsible germs in such cases must be done through the use of special culture conditions and prolonged incubation time. Often, the diagnosis can only be made based on serological or DNA studies.
  • an echocardiogram is used to picture the valves of the heart, to visualize any vegetations (abnormal structures prodcued by the germs in the heart), and to evaluate heart function.
  • the most clear images of a patient's valves are often obtained with a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), a special echocardiogram done by introducing a small probe passed into the patient's mouth down the esophagus.


Review Date: 5/9/2002
Reviewed By: Elena Sgarbossa, M.D., Department of Cardiology, Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Ctr., Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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