Cluster of Nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae Infective Endocarditis and Rising Background C. diphtheriae Cases-Seattle, Washington, 2020-2023.

BACKGROUND: Nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae, often associated with wounds, can rarely cause infective endocarditis (IE). Five patients with C. diphtheriae IE were identified within 12 months at a Seattle-based hospital system. We reviewed prior C. diphtheriae-positive cultures to determine if detections had increased over time and evaluated epidemiologic trends. METHODS: We conducted a formal electronic health record search to identify all patients aged ≥18 years with C. diphtheriae detected in a clinical specimen (ie, wound, blood, sputum) between 1 September 2020 and 1 April 2023. We collected patient demographics, housing status, comorbidities, substance-use history, and level of medical care required at detection. We extracted laboratory data on susceptibilities of C. diphtheriae isolates and on other pathogens detected at the time of C. diphtheriae identification. RESULTS: Between 1 September 2020 and 1 April 2023, 44 patients (median age, 44 years) had a C. diphtheriae-positive clinical culture, with most detections occurring after March 2022. Patients were predominantly male (75%), White (66%), unstably housed (77%), and had a lifetime history of injecting drugs (75%). Most C. diphtheriae-positive cultures were polymicrobial, including wound cultures from 36 (82%) patients and blood cultures from 6 (14%) patients, not mutually exclusive. Thirty-four patients (77%), including all 5 patients with C. diphtheriae IE, required hospital admission for C. diphtheriae or a related condition. Of the 5 patients with IE, 3 died of IE and 1 from COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest a high-morbidity outbreak disproportionately affecting patients who use substances and are unstably housed.

Evaluation of the 2023 Duke-ISCVID and 2023 Duke-ESC Clinical Criteria for the Diagnosis of Infective Endocarditis in a Multicenter Cohort of Patients With Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia.

BACKGROUND: The Duke criteria for infective endocarditis (IE) diagnosis underwent revisions in 2023 by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the International Society for Cardiovascular Infectious Diseases (ISCVID). This study aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy of these criteria, focusing on patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB). METHODS: This Swiss multicenter study conducted between 2014 and 2023 pooled data from three cohorts. It evaluated the performance of each iteration of the Duke criteria by assessing the degree of concordance between definite S. aureus IE (SAIE) and the diagnoses made by the Endocarditis Team (2018-23) or IE expert clinicians (2014-17). RESULTS: Among 1344 SAB episodes analyzed, 486 (36%) were identified as cases of SAIE. The 2023 Duke-ISCVID and 2023 Duke-ESC criteria demonstrated improved sensitivity for SAIE diagnosis (81% and 82%, respectively) compared to the 2015 Duke-ESC criteria (75%). However, the new criteria exhibited reduced specificity for SAIE (96% for both) compared to the 2015 criteria (99%). Spondylodiscitis was more prevalent among patients with SAIE compared to those with SAB alone (10% vs 7%, P = .026). However, when patients meeting the minor 2015 Duke-ESC vascular criterion were excluded, the incidence of spondylodiscitis was similar between SAIE and SAB patients (6% vs 5%, P = .461). CONCLUSIONS: The 2023 Duke-ISCVID and 2023 Duke-ESC clinical criteria show improved sensitivity for SAIE diagnosis compared to 2015 Duke-ESC criteria. However, this increase in sensitivity comes at the expense of reduced specificity. Future research should aim at evaluating the impact of each component introduced within these criteria.

Infective Endocarditis After Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: Scarce data are available comparing infective endocarditis (IE) following surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). This study aimed to compare the clinical presentation, microbiological profile, management, and outcomes of IE after SAVR versus TAVR. METHODS: Data were collected from the "Infectious Endocarditis after TAVR International" (enrollment from 2005 to 2020) and the "International Collaboration on Endocarditis" (enrollment from 2000 to 2012) registries. Only patients with an IE affecting the aortic valve prosthesis were included. A 1:1 paired matching approach was used to compare patients with TAVR and SAVR. RESULTS: A total of 1688 patients were included. Of them, 602 (35.7%) had a surgical bioprosthesis (SB), 666 (39.5%) a mechanical prosthesis, 70 (4.2%) a homograft, and 350 (20.7%) a transcatheter heart valve. In the SAVR versus TAVR matched population, the rate of new moderate or severe aortic regurgitation was higher in the SB group (43.4% vs 13.5%; P < .001), and fewer vegetations were diagnosed in the SB group (62.5% vs 82%; P < .001). Patients with an SB had a higher rate of perivalvular extension (47.9% vs 27%; P < .001) and Staphylococcus aureus was less common in this group (13.4% vs 22%; P = .033). Despite a higher rate of surgery in patients with SB (44.4% vs 27.3%; P < .001), 1-year mortality was similar (SB: 46.5%; TAVR: 44.8%; log-rank P = .697). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical presentation, type of causative microorganism, and treatment differed between patients with an IE located on SB compared with TAVR. Despite these differences, both groups exhibited high and similar mortality at 1-year follow-up.

Bartonella quintana Endocarditis: A Systematic Review of Individual Cases.

BACKGROUND: Bartonella quintana is a louse-borne bacterium that remains a neglected cause of endocarditis in low-resource settings. Our understanding of risk factors, clinical manifestations, and treatment of B. quintana endocarditis are biased by older studies from high-income countries. METHODS: We searched Pubmed Central, Medline, Scopus, Embase, EBSCO (CABI) Global Health, Web of Science and international trial registers for articles published before March 2023 with terms related to Bartonella quintana endocarditis. We included articles containing case-level information on B. quintana endocarditis and extracted data related to patient demographics, clinical features, diagnostic testing, treatment, and outcome. RESULTS: A total of 975 records were identified, of which 569 duplicates were removed prior to screening. In total, 84 articles were eligible for inclusion, describing a total of 167 cases. Infections were acquired in 40 different countries; 62 cases (37.1%) were acquired in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Disproportionately more female and pediatric patients were from LMICs. More patients presented with heart failure (n = 70/167 [41.9%]) than fever (n = 65/167 [38.9%]). Mean time from symptom onset to presentation was 5.1 months. Also, 25.7% of cases (n = 43/167) were associated with embolization, most commonly to the spleen and brain; 65.5% of antimicrobial regimens included doxycycline. The vast majority of cases underwent valve replacement surgery (n = 154/167, [98.0%]). Overall case fatality rate was 9.6% (n = 16/167). CONCLUSIONS: B. quintana endocarditis has a global distribution, and long delays between symptom onset and presentation frequently occur. Improved clinician education and diagnostic capacity are needed to screen at-risk populations and identify infection before endocarditis develops.

NatIonal Danish endocarditis stUdieS - Design and objectives of the NIDUS registry.

AIMS: The NatIonal Danish endocarditis stUdieS (NIDUS) registry aims to investigate the mechanisms contributing to the increasing incidence of infective endocarditis (IE) and to discover risk factors associated to the course, treatment and clinical outcomes of the disease. METHODS: The NIDUS registry was created to investigate a nationwide unselected group of patients hospitalized for IE. The National Danish healthcare registries have been queried for validated IE diagnosis codes (International Classification of Disease, 10th edition [ICD-10]: DI33, DI38, and DI398). Subsequently, a team of 28 healthcare professionals, including experts in endocarditis, will systematically review and evaluate all identified patient records using the modified Duke Criteria and the 2015 European Society of Cardiology modified diagnostic criteria. The registry will contain all cases with definite or possible IE found in primary data sources in Denmark between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2021. We will gather individual patient data, such as clinical, microbiological, and echocardiographic characteristics, treatment regimens, and clinical outcomes. A digital data collection form will be used to the gathering of data. A sample of approximately 4,300 individual patients will be evaluated using primary data sources. CONCLUSIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: The NIDUS registry will be the first comprehensive nationwide IE registry, contributing critical knowledge about the course, treatment, and clinical outcomes of the disease. Additionally, it will significantly aid in identifying areas in which future research is needed.

Clinicomicrobiological risk factors for infective endocarditis in viridans group streptococci bacteraemia.

BACKGROUND: When to perform echocardiography to rule out infective endocarditis (IE) in patients with viridans group streptococci (VGS) bloodstream infections (BSIs) is unclear. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify independent risk factors for IE in patients with VGS BSI. METHODS: This retrospective study conducted at Seoul National University Hospital from January 2013 to December 2022 involved patients with VGS and nutritionally variant streptococcal BSI, excluding single positive blood cultures and polymicrobial BSI cases. Independent risk factors were identified by multivariate logistic regression and sensitivity analyses according to echocardiography results, VGS species or the inclusion of possible IE cases. RESULTS: Of 845 VGS BSI cases, 349 were analysed and 86 IE cases were identified (24.6%). In the multivariate analysis, heart valve disease [adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 14.14, 95% CI, 6.14-32.58; P < 0.001], persistent bacteraemia (aOR, 5.12, 95% CI, 2.03-12.94; P = 0.001), age (per year, aOR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96-1.00; P = 0.015), solid cancer (aOR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.13-0.53; P < 0.001) and haematologic malignancy (aOR, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.01-0.41; P = 0.006) were independently associated with IE. Sensitivity analyses yielded consistent results; also, infection by a member of the mitis group was independent risk factor for IE (aOR, 6.50; 95% CI, 2.87-14.68; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Younger age, heart valve disease, persistent bacteraemia, absence of underlying malignancy and BSI by a member of the mitis group were independent risk factors for IE in patients with VGS BSI. Echocardiographic evaluation could be prudently considered based on these clinicomicrobiological risk factors.

Risk of infective endocarditis and complicated infection in Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia - a retrospective cohort study on the role of bacteriuria.

PURPOSE: S. aureus bacteremia (SAB) is a common and severe infection with high mortality and morbidity. The clinical relevance of the finding of concurrent S. aureus bacteriuria (SABU) is debated. The goal of this study was to analyze whether a concurrent SABU is associated with complicated SAB, infective endocarditis (IE) and mortality. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study, reviewing medical charts of all episodes of SAB in patients > 18 years in the region of Skåne, Sweden, between 1st of January and 31st of June 2020. Episodes where a concurrent urine culture was performed were included for analysis. An episode was considered as complicated SAB if there was either attributable mortality, recurrent infection, embolic stroke, or occurrence of a complicated focus of infection. RESULTS: During the study period, there were 279 episodes of SAB. 154 episodes met the eligibility criteria, of whom 37 (24%) had concurrent SABU. In 78 episodes (51%), the patients had a complicated SAB. There was a significantly lower proportion of complicated SAB for episodes with concurrent SABU (32%), compared to episodes without concurrent SABU (56%), p-value 0.014. Moreover, in the cohort there were 11 episodes (7.1%) of IE and a 30 days mortality rate of 16%, with no difference between the groups with or without SABU. CONCLUSIONS: There is an association between concurrent SABU and a decreased risk for complicated SAB among patients with SAB. This study found no significant association between SABU and neither IE nor mortality for patients with SAB.

Sex differences in infective endocarditis: a Danish nationwide study.

PURPOSE: Sex differences in infective endocarditis (IE) are reported, but patient characteristics are sparse and conflicting findings on the association between sex and short-term outcomes demand further research. We aimed to characterize sex differences in IE in terms of patient characteristics, frailty, microbiology, socioeconomic status, management and outcome on a nationwide scale. METHODS: Between 2010 and 2020, we used Danish national registries to characterize patients with IE according to sex using ICD codes and microbiological lab reports. Frailty was assessed with the Hospital Frailty Risk Score. Mortality was reported with Kaplan-Meier estimates. Logistic regression and Cox regression were used for adjusted analyses. RESULTS: We included 6259 patients with IE with 2047 (32.7%) female patients and 4212 (67.3%) male patients. Female patients were older (median age 75.0 years (64.3-82.2) vs. 71.7 (61.7-78.9)) and more frail (Intermediate frailty: 36.5% vs. 33.1%, High frailty: 11.4% vs. 9.2%). Staphylococcus aureus-IE were most common in both sexes (34.6% vs. 28.8%), but fewer female patients had Enterococcus-IE (10.5% vs. 18.1%). Female patients were less surgically treated (14.0% vs. 21.2%). Female sex was associated with increased in-hospital mortality (adj. OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.16-1.52), but no statistically significant difference in associated 1- and 5-year mortality from hospital discharge were identified (adj. HR 1.09, 95% CI 0.95-1.24 and 1.02, 95% CI 0.92-1.12, respectively). CONCLUSION: Female sex is associated with increased in-hospital mortality, but not in long-term mortality as compared with male patients. Female patients have a lower prevalence of Enterococcus-IE and rates of surgery. Further research is needed to understand these differences.

Non-betahemolytic streptococcal bacteremia, cardiac implantable electronic device, endocarditis, extraction, and outcome; a population-based retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: Patients with non-beta-hemolytic streptococcal bacteremia (NBHSB) are at risk of infective endocarditis (IE). Patients with cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) have been described to have an increased risk of IE. The aim of the study was to describe a population-based cohort of patients with NBHSB and CIED and variables associated with IE and recurrent NBHSB. METHODS: All episodes with NBHSB in blood culture from 2015 to 2018 in a population of 1.3 million inhabitants were collected from the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Lund, Sweden. Through medical records, patients with CIED during NBHSB were identified and clinical data were collected. Patients were followed 365 days after NBHSB. RESULTS: Eighty-five episodes in 79 patients with CIED and NBHSB constituted the cohort. Eight patients (10%) were diagnosed with definite IE during the first episode, five of whom also had heart valve prosthesis (HVP). In 39 patients (49%) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed of which six indicated IE. Four patients had the CIED extracted. Twenty-four patients did not survive (30%) the study period. Four patients had a recurrent infection with NBHSB with the same species, three of whom had HVP and had been evaluated with TEE with a negative result during the first episode and diagnosed with IE during the recurrency. CONCLUSION: The study did not find a high risk of IE in patients with NBHSB and CIED. Most cases of IE were in conjunction with a simultaneous HVP. A management algorithm is suggested.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes in pseudomonas endocarditis: a systematic review of individual cases : Systematic review of pseudomonas endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: The landscape of Pseudomonas infective endocarditis (IE) is evolving with the widespread use of cardiac implantable devices and hospital-acquired infections. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the emerging risk factors and outcomes in Pseudomonas IE. METHODS: A literature search was performed in major electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar) with appropriate keywords and combinations till November 2023. We recorded data for risk factors, diagnostic and treatment modalities. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42023442807. RESULTS: A total of 218 cases (131 articles) were included. Intravenous drug use (IDUs) and prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) were major risk factors for IE (37.6% and 22%). However, the prosthetic valve was the predominant risk factor in the last two decades (23.5%). Paravalvular complications (paravalvular leak, abscess, or pseudoaneurysm) were described in 40 cases (18%), and the vast majority belonged to the aortic valve (70%). The mean time from symptom onset to presentation was 14 days. The incidence of difficult-to-treat resistant (DTR) pseudomonas was 7.4%. Valve replacement was performed in 57.3% of cases. Combination antibiotics were used in most cases (77%), with the aminoglycosides-based combination being the most frequently used (66%). The overall mortality rate was 26.1%. The recurrence rate was 11.2%. Almost half of these patients were IDUs (47%), and most had aortic valve endocarditis (76%). CONCLUSIONS: This review highlights the changing epidemiology of Pseudomonas endocarditis with the emergence of prosthetic valve infections. Acute presentation and associated high mortality are characteristic of Pseudomonas IE and require aggressive diagnostic and therapeutic approach.

Epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcome of infective endocarditis due to Abiotrophia and Granulicatella in a Tertiary Hospital in China, 2015-2023: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Abiotrophia (ABI) and Granulicatella (GRA) are rare causative pathogens in infective endocarditis (IE). This study aims to describe the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcome of ABI/GRA-IE. The main features of ABI/GRA-IE were compared with Viridans group streptococci (VGS) IE. METHODS: From January 2015 to December 2023, a total of 1531 definite IE in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Clinical and laboratory data were collected. RESULTS: Forty-five ABI/GRA-IE cases were identified, representing 2.9% of all IE cases in Zhongshan Hospital between 2015 and 2023, compared to 20.1% of VGS-IE. ABI and GRA IE shared similar clinical characteristics. Congenital valvulopathy was reported in 21 (46.7%) ABI/GRA-IE and 85 (28.8%) VGS-IE (P = 0.025). Pulmonary valve was more frequently affected in ABI/GRA-IE (6 [13.3%]) than VGS-IE (7 [2.4%]) (P = 0.002). Congestive heart failure was observed in 30 (66.7%) ABI/GRA-IE and 103 (34.9%) VGS-IE (P < 0.001). Systemic embolization excluding central nervous system (CNS) occurred in 13 (28.9%) ABI/GRA-IE and 39 (13.2%) VGS-IE (P = 0.012). In-hospital mortality was reported as 4.4% in ABI/GRA-IE and 3.7% in VGS-IE (P = 0.854). CONCLUSION: GRA/ABI-IE was approximately one-seventh as prevalent as VGS-IE. Congestive heart failure and systemic embolization (excluding CNS) were more frequent in GRA/ABI-IE compared to VGS-IE. Mortality of ABI/GRA-IE in this study was comparable to that of VGS-IE and lower than previously reported results.

Epidemiological and microbial trends of infective endocarditis in western Norway: a 7-year prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: In this prospective, observational study, we aimed to investigate epidemiologic and microbial trends of infective endocarditis in western Norway. METHODS: Clinical and microbiological characteristics of 497 cases of infective endocarditis from 2016 through 2022 were investigated. Categorical data were analysed using Chi-squared tests. Survival data were analysed using multiple Cox regression and reported using hazard ratios. RESULTS: The mean age was 67 years, and 74% were men. The annual incidence rates varied from 10.4 to 14.1 per 100,000 inhabitants per year. Infective endocarditis on native valves was observed in 257 (52%) of the cases, whereas infective endocarditis on prosthetic valves and/or cardiac implantable electronic devices was observed in 240 (48%) of the cases: infection on surgically implanted bioprostheses was observed in 124 (25%) of the patients, infection on transcatheter aortic valve implantation was observed in 47 (10%) patients, and infection on mechanical valves was observed in 34 (7%) cases. Infection related to cardiac implantable electronic devices was observed in a total of 50 (10%) cases. Staphylococcus aureus and viridans streptococci were the most common microbial causes, and isolated in 145 (29%) and 130 (26%) of the cases, respectively. Enterococcal endocarditis showed a rising trend during the study period and constituted 90 (18%) of our total cases of infective endocarditis, and 67%, 47%, and 26% of the cases associated with prosthetic material, transcatheter aortic valve implantation and cardiac implantable electronic devices, respectively. There was no significant difference in 90-day mortality rates between the native valve endocarditis group (12%) and the group with infective endocarditis on prosthetic valves or cardiac implants (14%), p = 0.522. In a model with gender, age, people who inject drugs, microbiology and type of valve affected, only advanced age was significantly associated with fatal outcome within 90 days. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of infective endocarditis, and particularly enterococcal endocarditis, increased during the study period. Enterococci appeared to have a particular affinity for prosthetic cardiac material. Advanced age was the only independent risk factor for death within 90 days.

Epidemiology, outcomes and prognosis of infective endocarditis in Northern Morocco.

INTRODUCTION: Infective endocarditis is a rare but potentially severe disease, associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Our study aims to describe the epidemiology and management aspects of endocarditis in northern Morocco and compare it with international management guidelines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study involving all patients hospitalized in the cardiology department of the University Hospital of Tangier for infective endocarditis over a period of 4 years and 7 months, from May 2019 to February 2024. RESULTS: Eighty patients were hospitalized for IE during the study period. The average age of the patients was 46 years, with an even sex ratio. IE concerned native valves in 77% of cases, mechanical prostheses in 19% of cases, and on bio prostheses in 4%. The average diagnostic delay was 25 days. Blood cultures were negative in 59% of cases. The predominant infective microorganism was the bacteria Staphylococcus (65.6%). Imaging results showed vegetations in 76.3% of cases, predominantly on the mitral valve (39.3%), followed by the aortic valve (21.3%). The main complications included heart failure (51.2%), peripheral arterial embolisms (22.5%) and splenic infarction (17.5%). Management wise, the most commonly used antibiotic therapy was a combination of ceftriaxone and gentamicin. Clinical and biological improvement was observed in 70% of cases, with a mortality rate of 12.5%. Twelve patients underwent surgery (15%). Urgent surgery was indicated in 66,7% of the operated patients. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the challenges in managing infective endocarditis in northern Morocco. The prognosis of infective endocarditis can be improved through multidisciplinary management within the implementation of an Endocarditis Team.

Comparative analysis of infective endocarditis in hemodialysis versus non-hemodialysis patients in Iran: implications for clinical practice and future research.

BACKGROUND: In hemodialysis (HD) patients, there is a larger frequency of mortality and morbidity associated with infective endocarditis (IE) as opposed to the general population. Despite the increased burden of IE in the HD population, optimal strategies for prevention and management still need to be clarified. Elucidating the distinguishing features and outcomes of IE in HD patients is crucial to guide clinical decision-making and improve prognosis in this high-risk group. However, the details of IE characteristics, specifically in HD patients in the Middle East, are limited. OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes of IE between HD and non-HD patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out on 139 patients with infective endocarditis who were referred to a tertiary cardiovascular center in Iran from 2006 to 2018. The participants were split into HD (n = 34) and non-HD (n = 105) groups. Data pertaining to demographic characteristics, comorbidities, microbiological findings, occurrence of complications, therapeutic interventions, and mortality rates during hospital stay were gathered. RESULTS: Diabetes, hypertension, and congestive heart failure were observed more frequently in HD patients. HD patients were more likely than non-HD patients to have involvement of the right valve (41.2% vs. 20.9%), larger vegetation, and extracardiac emboli. In-hospital mortality was 41.2% for HD patients versus 14.3% for non-HD patients. Mortality remained high after valve surgery in HD patients (38.2% vs. 10.5% in non-HD). CONCLUSION: HD patients exhibited a distinct clinical profile of IE with worse short-term outcomes, including higher mortality.

Infective endocarditis in pediatric patients: a decade of insights from a leading Spanish heart surgery reference center.

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a rare disease in children and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In recent years, significant changes have occurred in pediatric care that could have influenced the microbiology and presentation of IE. The aim of this work was to study epidemiological, microbiological, and clinical features of IE treated at a Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Reference Center located in Madrid (Spain) in a 10-years' period. A descriptive observational retrospective study was performed, including pediatric patients < 16 years old with definite or possible IE admitted to a reference center between January 2012 and December 2021. Thirty-two IE episodes were identified. Twenty-eight (87.5%) had congenital heart disease (CHD), 8 (25.0%) were preterm infants, 1 (3.1%) was immunocompromised and 6 (18.8%) had other chronic conditions; in 11 (34.4%) episodes more than one underlying condition was associated. In 20 (62.5%) episodes there was an indwelling central venous catheter (CVC); children with other comorbidities (preterm, immunocompromised, other chronic conditions) were more likely to have a CVC at diagnosis compared with patients with isolated CHD (p < 0.001). Thirty-six microbiological isolates were obtained in the 32 episodes; 4 (12.5%) episodes had 2 isolated microorganisms. Microbiological isolates were 20 (55.6%) Gram-positive bacteria (GPB), 10 (27.8%) non-HACEK Gram-negative bacteria (GNB), 1 (2.8%) HACEK-group bacterium, 4 (11.1%) fungi and 1 (2.8%) Coxiella burnetii. In 10 (31.3%) episodes, patients were colonized by multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB) and the etiology of IE in 3 (30.0%) of those episodes was the colonizing MDRB. MDRB colonization was associated with MDRB IE (p = 0.007). The most common complication was septic embolism: 11 (34.4%) episodes (9 pulmonary and 2 cerebral). In-hospital mortality was 6.3% (n = 2), all of them due to underlying conditions and not to IE or its complications. Clinical features and complications of IE episodes caused by non-HACEK GNB and those caused by GPB were compared, finding no statistically significant differences.    Conclusion: Risk factors for developing IE, the proportion of embolic complications, and mortality rate were consistent with previously published findings. Proportion of IE cases attributed to non-HACEK GNB was higher than previously reported, suggesting an evolving epidemiology of IE. One-third of children colonized with MDRB subsequently developed IE caused by the same MDRB strains, so empirical coverage of MDRB organisms must be considered when IE is suspected in MDRB colonized patients. No significant differences in clinical features and complications were observed when comparing IE episodes caused by non-HACEK GNB and those caused by GPB, however larger cohort studies are needed. What is Known: • Infective endocarditis (IE) is a rare disease in children, associated with significant morbidity and mortality. • The main risk factor for developing IE in children is an underlying congenital heart disease. What is New: • With current changing epidemiology in pediatric IE, a higher proportion of IE caused by non-HACEK Gram-negative bacteria should be expected. • A significant percentage of children colonized by multidrug-resistant bacteria can develop an IE due to those bacteria.

Enterococcal Infective Endocarditis - Post discharge treatment with continuous benzylpenicillin and ceftriaxone: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Enterococcal Infective Endocarditis (EIE) is usually treated with the combination of penicillin/ampicillin with gentamicin or ampicillin with ceftriaxone. To enable prolonged outpatient treatment, a combination of benzylpenicillin and ceftriaxone has been suggested. This study aimed to describe the incidence and characteristics of EIE and to determine the outcome of EIE cases treated with benzylpenicillin and ceftriaxone. METHODS: This was a retrospective single-center study including all patients diagnosed with infective endocarditis (IE) during 2016-2021, comparing EIE with IE caused by other pathogens. We described the outpatient treatment of patients with EIE, comparing those treated of benzylpenicillin - ceftriaxone with other regimes. RESULTS: Among 222 patients with IE, 44 (20%) were diagnosed with EIE. Those were older, had a male predominance (p = 0.035), and were more disabled (p = 0.004). The incidence of EIE reached 30% towards the last year, becoming the leading etiology. Twenty-six patients received outpatient treatment, five of whom were discharged with benzylpenicillin and ceftriaxone. Adding patients from this cohort to the scarce data available, revealed similar recurrence and mortality rates compared to other treatment regimes. CONCLUSIONS: EIE is becoming a more frequent cause of IE, involving older, more disabled patients with male predominance. Our experience and existing literature suggest that the combination of benzylpenicillin and ceftriaxone is as safe as more conventional regimes, although further research is needed.

Clinical characteristics and analysis of prognostic factors in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis: A retrospective multicenter study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) caused by MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is associated with a high mortality rate. This study aimed to elucidate the characteristics of patients with MRSA-IE in Japan and identify the factors associated with prognosis. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with a confirmed diagnosis of IE caused by MRSA, between January 2015 and April 2019. RESULTS: A total of 65 patients from 19 centers were included, with a mean age of 67 years and 26 % were female. Fifty percent of the patients with IE were had nosocomial infections and 25 % had prosthetic valve involvement. The most common comorbidities were hemodialysis (20 %) and diabetes (20 %). Congestive heart failure was present in 86 % of patients (NYHA class I, II: 48 %; III, IV: 38 %). The 30-day and in-hospital mortality rates were 29 % and 46 %, respectively. Multi-organ failure was the primary cause of death, accounting for 43 % of all causes of death. Prognostic factors for in-hospital mortality were age, disseminated intravascular coagulation, daptomycin and/or linezolid as initial antibiotic therapy, and surgery. Surgical treatment was associated with a lower mortality rate (odds ratio [OR], 0.026; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.002-0.382; p = 0.008 for 30-day mortality and OR, 0.130; 95 % CI; 0.029-0.584; p = 0.008 for in-hospital mortality). CONCLUSION: Mortality due to MRSA-IE remains high. Surgical treatment is a significant prognostic predictor of MRSA-IE.

Incidence of Bacteremia, Infective Endocarditis, or Prosthetic Joint Infection in Dermatologic Surgery: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Prophylactic antibiotic therapy is widely used in dermatologic surgery to prevent surgical site infections and bacteremia, which can lead to prosthetic joint infections (PJI) and infective endocarditis (IE) in high-risk populations. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence of bacteremia, PJI, and IE after dermatologic surgery and assess the current evidence for antibiotic prophylaxis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A search of the computerized bibliographic databases was performed using key terms from the date of inception to March 21, 2021. Data extraction was performed independently by 2 data extractors. RESULTS: The review resulted in 9 publications that met inclusion criteria, including 5 prospective cohort studies and 4 case reports or case series. The prospective studies reported a wide range of bacteremia incidence (0%-7%) after dermatologic surgery. No cases of PJI resulting directly from cutaneous surgery were identified, and only 1 case series reported IE after various skin procedures. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a low rate of bacteremia and a lack of direct evidence linking dermatologic surgery to PJI or IE. The scarcity of published data on this topic is a limitation, highlighting the need for further research, particularly randomized controlled trials, to guide antibiotic prophylaxis recommendations.

Infective endocarditis in children with heart diseases at Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute, Tanzania: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) in children with pre-existing heart conditions is a life-threatening disease entity associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In our cardiac setting, the management outcomes of children with IE are not well documented. We therefore aimed to document the clinical profile and treatment outcomes of children with IE attended at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI). METHODS: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study with longitudinal follow-up conducted among children with IE diagnosed by Modified Duke's Criteria at the JKCI from November 2021 to November 2023. A structured questionnaire was used to collect patients' socio-demographic and clinical data. RESULTS: During the study period, 1,546 children were admitted to the JKCI. A total of 30 children with IE were enrolled, of these half (n = 16, 53%) were aged 10 to 18 years, with a median of 10 yrs (Inter quartile range, IQR: 6.5-12.2 yrs). Twelve children (40%) and nearly half (n = 14, 47%) had fever and used antibiotic therapy respectively. Majority of participants had anaemia (n = 26, 87%) and heart failure (n = 21, 70%). Nine children (30%) had positive blood cultures and S. aureus was the most frequently isolated organism (n = 7). Ten patients (33%) developed acute kidney injury (AKI), and eleven (37%) children died during the hospital stay. CONCLUSION: In our setting, in-hospital mortality due to IE among children with heart diseases is high. Heart failure and anaemia were the common presentations of IE. Furthermore, AKI was observed to be the leading in-hospital non-cardiac complication.

Clinical implementation of partial oral treatment in infective endocarditis: the Danish POETry study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In the Partial Oral Treatment of Endocarditis (POET) trial, stabilized patients with left-sided infective endocarditis (IE) were randomized to oral step-down antibiotic therapy (PO) or conventional continued intravenous antibiotic treatment (IV), showing non-inferiority after 6 months. In this study, the first guideline-driven clinical implementation of the oral step-down POET regimen was examined. METHODS: Patients with IE, caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus spp. or coagulase-negative staphylococci diagnosed between May 2019 and December 2020 were possible candidates for initiation of oral step-down antibiotic therapy, at the discretion of the treating physician. The composite primary outcome in patients finalizing antibiotic treatment consisted of embolic events, unplanned cardiac surgery, relapse of bacteraemia and all-cause mortality within 6 months. RESULTS: A total of 562 patients [median age 74 years (IQR, interquartile range, 65-80), 70% males] with IE were possible candidates; PO was given to 240 (43%) patients and IV to 322 (57%) patients. More patients in the IV group had IE caused by S. aureus, or had an intra-cardiac abscess, or a pacemaker and more were surgically treated. The primary outcome occurred in 30 (13%) patients in the PO group and in 59 (18%) patients in the IV group (P = .051); in the PO group, 20 (8%) patients died vs. 46 (14%) patients in the IV group (P = .024). PO-treated patients had a shorter median length of stay [PO 24 days (IQR 17-36) vs. IV 43 days (IQR 32-51), P < .001]. CONCLUSIONS: After clinical implementation of the POET regimen almost half of the possible candidates with IE received oral step-down antibiotic therapy. Patients in the IV group had more serious risk factors for negative outcomes. At 6-month follow-up, there was a numerically but not statistically significant difference towards a lower incidence of the primary outcome, a lower incidence of all-cause mortality and a reduced length of stay in the PO group. Due to the observational design of the study, the lower mortality may to some extent reflect selection bias and unmeasured confounding. Clinical implementation of PO regimens seemed feasible and safe.