Infective Endocarditis: Major Criteria

1- Blood culture +ve for IE (a) + 2 separate blood cultures (every 30 mins). Typical: s. aureus, s. viridans, s.gallolyticus, HACEK gr. or enterococci (b) + 2 separate blood cultures (12 hours apart): (c) + 1 blood culuture (C. burnetii) or phase 1 IgG Ab titre >1:800 2- Imaging: (a) echo: vegetation, abscess, pseudoaneurysm, fistula, valvular perforation/aneurysm, prosthetic valve defect (dehiscence) (b) PET: abnormal activity around prosthetic valve (18F-FDG PET/CT if >3m, or radio-labelled leukocytes SPECT/CT) (c) Cardiac CT: definite paravalvular lesions