Endocarditis involving a prosthetic or operated valve can be diagnosed by one or more criteria.
Criteria for the diagnosis of prosthetic or operated valve endocarditis:
(1) reoperation with evidence of abscess, paravalvular leak, pus or vegetation confirmed as secondary to infection by histology or microbiology exam
(2) autopsy findings of abscess, pus or vegetation involving a repaired or replaced valve
(3) Duke criteria for endocarditis
A positive blood culture is not required for the diagnosis.
If blood culture results are negative then the patient can be said to have culture-negative endocarditis.
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Specialty: Infectious Diseases, Cardiology, Surgery, general
