Endocarditis is an inflammation of the cardiac endothelium. There are infective and non-infective forms.

Duke Criteria

The Duke criteria were established in 1994 by the Duke Endocarditis Society. These criteria serve as guidelines for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis. To be diagnosed with endocarditis, the patient must fulfill two major criteria, one major and three minor criteria, or five minor criteria.

The criteria listed below are abbreviated.

Major Criteria

• Sustained positive blood culture(s) by an organism known to cause endocarditis
• Endocardial involvement either via a positive echocardiogram (i.e., vegetation, abscess, prosthetic dehiscence) or a new valvular regurgitation

Minor Criteria

• Fever > 38^oC
• Predisposing condition (e.g., IV drug use, abnormal valve)
• Vascular phenomena, such as septic or pulmonary emboli, mycotic aneurysms, Janeway lesions, conjunctival hemorrhages
• Immunologic phenomena, such as glomerulonephritis, positive Rheumatoid Factor, Osler’s nodes, Roth spots
• Positive blood culture that does not meet a major criterion