Infective endocarditis is often due to outside infections

A new study in JAMA says that infective endocarditis is largely due to staphylococcal infection that can stem from health care factors.

Endocarditis is an infection that affects the inner linings of the heart called endothelium. Such an infection can damage the heart valves, the connective tissues surrounding the valves, and the inner chamber linings of the heart. In some case infection can also affect the linings of the arteries coming out of the heart.

Although it was always assumed the staphylococcal bacteria cause that infective endocarditis, this is the first large scale study conducted on the relationship between the two.

Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, also known as staph bacteria, lives on the skin surfaces and is quite harmless unless it affects the skin, which has been pierced or broken. In that case it can cause infections like folliculitis, boils, scalded skin syndrome, impetigo and may other forms of conditions.

The common factors that affect the Endocarditis infection from staph bacteria are hemodialysis, diabetes, intravascular device source, receipt of vancomycin, infection from MRSA, condition of persistent bacteremia etc.

Reference: Journal of American Medical Association, June 2005