Table 1 Duke criteria for infective endocarditis (IE)⁷.

Major criteria

Blood cultures positive for IE

Typical microorganisms consistent with IE:

Viridans streptococci, Streptococcus bovis, HACEK group, Staphylococcus aureus; or

Community acquired enterococci, in the absence of a primary focus;

or

Microorganisms consistent with IE from persistently positive blood cultures;

or

Single positive blood culture for Coxiella burnetii or phase I IgG antibody titre >1:800

Evidence of endocardial involvement

Echocardiogram positive for IE:

Vegetation

Abscess

New partial dehiscence of prosthetic valve

New valvar regurgitation

Minor criteria

Predisposition, predisposing heart condition, injection drug use

Fever, temperature >38°C

Vascular phenomena, major arterial emboli, septic pulmonary infarcts, mycotic aneurysm, intracranial haemorrhages, Janeway's lesions

Immunologic phenomena: glomerulonephritis, Osler's nodes, Roth's spots, rheumatoid factor

Microbiological evidence: positive blood culture but does not meet a major criterion

Diagnosis of IE is definite in the presence of: two major criteria, or one major and three minor criteria, or five minor criteria.

Diagnosis of IE is possible in the presence of: one major and one minor criteria, or three minor criteria.

HACEK, Heamophilus, Actinobacillus, Cardiobacterium, Eikenella, Kingella