Advances in Infective Endocarditis Research: From Bench to Bedside

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Antibiotic Therapy in Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 1244

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
Interests: infectious diseases; bacteremia; infective endocarditis; antimicrobial resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; epidemiology; Staphylococcus aureus; MRSA; invasive fungal infections

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Infective endocarditis (IE) continues to challenge clinicians and researchers, as it remains a life-threatening disease, with mortality rates reported as ranging from 15% to 30%, despite current medical and surgical interventions. Over the last decade, significant advances in molecular diagnostics, imaging technologies, and therapeutic strategies have deepened our understanding of IE pathophysiology and improved outcomes for patients. However, persistent hurdles, such as antibiotic resistance, delayed or missed diagnoses, and frequent complications, underscore the urgent need for further research to refine diagnostic tools and optimize treatment regimens.

This Special Issue of Antibiotics will highlight the latest discoveries and emerging trends in IE management, including the development of innovative drug delivery systems, advanced diagnostic techniques, and targeted strategies to combat resistant pathogens. We also welcome insights into preventive measures tailored to high-risk patient populations in the hope of reducing the disease incidence and overall burden.

We invite investigators from a broad spectrum of fields, such as microbiology, cardiology, infectious diseases, and immunology, to contribute original research articles, reviews, and short communications. Submissions can include laboratory-based studies, clinical trials, and translational research studies that bridge the gap between bench and bedside, with an emphasis on collaborative and forward-thinking approaches.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Joya-Rita Hindy
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • infective endocarditis
  • prosthetic valve endocarditis
  • cardiac implantable electronic devices
  • recurrent infective endocarditis
  • valvular heart disease
  • cardiac surgery
  • molecular diagnostics
  • innovative drug delivery
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • suppressive therapy

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 392 KiB  
Article
Should Microhematuria Be Incorporated into the 2023 Duke-International Society for Cardiovascular Infectious Diseases Minor Immunological Criteria?
by Jean Regina, Louis Stavart, Benoit Guery, Georgios Tzimas, Pierre Monney, Lars Niclauss, Matthias Kirsch, Dela Golshayan and Matthaios Papadimitriou-Olivgeris
Antibiotics 2025, 14(7), 687; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14070687 - 7 Jul 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Microhematuria is common in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). The present study aims to assess whether the addition of microhematuria in the 2023 Duke-International Society for Cardiovascular Infectious Diseases (ISCVID) minor immunological criteria could enhance its diagnostic performance. Methods: This [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Microhematuria is common in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). The present study aims to assess whether the addition of microhematuria in the 2023 Duke-International Society for Cardiovascular Infectious Diseases (ISCVID) minor immunological criteria could enhance its diagnostic performance. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at the Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland (2014–2024). All patients with suspected IE and urinalysis within 24 h from presentation were included. The Endocarditis Team classified episodes as IE or non-IE. Microhematuria was defined as >5 red blood cells per high power field (HPF). Results: Among 801 episodes with suspected IE, 263 (33%) were diagnosed with IE. Microhematuria (>5/HPF) was present in 462 (58%) episodes, with no difference between episodes with and without confirmed IE (61% versus 56%; p = 0.223). Based on the 2023 ISCVID-Duke, minor immunological criteria were present in 42 episodes (5%). By adding microhematuria, 473 (59%) episodes met the minor immunological criteria. Sensitivity of the clinical criteria of the 2023 ISCVID-Duke version without and with hematuria was calculated at 75% (69–80%) and 86% (81–90%), respectively. Specificity was at 52% (48–57%) and 40% (36–45%), respectively. Among episodes with suspected IE, microhematuria was associated with female sex, enterococcal bacteremia, sepsis or septic shock, acute kidney injury, non-cerebral embolic events, and bone and joint infection. Conclusions: Microhematuria was frequent among patients with suspected IE, but it was not associated with the diagnosis of IE. The addition of microhematuria in the 2023 ISCVID-Duke minor immunological criteria did not enhance the overall performance of the criteria. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Infective Endocarditis Research: From Bench to Bedside)
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10 pages, 895 KiB  
Article
Correlation Between Blood Culture Time to Positivity and Vegetation Size in Staphylococcus aureus Infective Endocarditis
by Sebastian D. Santos-Patarroyo, Juan A. Quintero-Martinez, Brian D. Lahr, Supavit Chesdachai, Omar Abu Saleh, Hector I. Michelena, Hector R. Villarraga, Daniel C. DeSimone and Larry M. Baddour
Antibiotics 2025, 14(5), 456; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14050456 - 30 Apr 2025
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Abstract
Background: The relationship between vegetation characteristics in Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis (IE) and blood culture time to positivity (TTP) has not been investigated. This study evaluates the correlation between vegetation length and TTP in patients with S. aureus IE. Methods: A retrospective cohort study [...] Read more.
Background: The relationship between vegetation characteristics in Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis (IE) and blood culture time to positivity (TTP) has not been investigated. This study evaluates the correlation between vegetation length and TTP in patients with S. aureus IE. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted that included 164 definite cases S. aureus IE. Vegetation length was determined by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), and TTP was measured in hours from the initial time of blood culture incubation to positivity. Correlations between vegetation characteristics and TTP were analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Results: A modest but statistically significant negative correlation was observed between vegetation length and TTP (Spearman ρ = −0.18, p = 0.020), suggesting that larger vegetations were associated with shorter TTP. No significant correlations were found for other vegetation characteristics (e.g., vegetation mobility, location, or number) and TTP. Conclusions: Larger vegetation size in S. aureus IE was associated with shorter TTP. These findings highlight the importance of vegetation size in the pathophysiology of S. aureus IE and its role in bacteremia dynamics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Infective Endocarditis Research: From Bench to Bedside)
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