The Duke Criteria for Endocarditis remind us: one major criterion is a positive blood culture. But don’t be fooled – as the new ESC 2023/2024 guidelines highlight, a single negative culture does not rule out infection. 🧫 The microbiological workup can be complex, requiring blood cultures, serologies, PCR, and sometimes advanced molecular testing. This updated algorithm is designed to catch those tricky cases of blood culture–negative infective endocarditis (BCNIE) – ensuring we don’t miss the d

Patients with infective endocarditis typically receive antibiotics intravenously for up to 6 weeks; in those who survive the initial phase, the main reason to stay in the hospital is to complete the intravenous treatment. Full study: https://nej.md/2LwyRFD Watch more Quick Take videos: http://nej.md/quick-take | The New England Journal of Medicine