Infective Endocarditis and Septicaemia

This tutorial describes some features of septicaemia and endocarditis and their laboratory diagnosis. Septicaemia is a severe, life-threatening condition. Before the advent of antimicrobial therapy, endocarditis was invariably fatal and it too remains a serious condition that requires vigorous therapy. The following topics will be covered:

• Introduction
• Definitions
• Plague
• Causes of septicaemia
• Pathogenesis of septicaemia
• Vulnerable patients
• Symptoms of septicaemia
• Haematogenous infections
• Laboratory diagnosis of septicaemia
• Endocarditis
• 'Vegetations' and endocarditis
• Link to list of subjects

Page edited April 2006

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