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Culture-negative endocarditis is an infection and inflammation of the lining of one or more heart valves, but in which no endocarditis-causing germs (typically bacteria) can be found in a routine blood culture (most often 2 or 3 cultures are done when endocarditis is suspected). This is because certain germs do not grow well in a lab setting, or some people have received antibiotics in the past that keep such germs from growing outside of the body.
Endocarditis is usually a result of a bloodstream infection. Bacteria can enter the bloodstream during certain medical procedures, including dental procedures or through intravenous injection using non-sterile needles. Then bacteria can travel to the heart, where they can settle on heart valves.
Alternative Names
Endocarditis (culture-negative)
References
Baddour LM, Anavekar NS, Crestanello JA, Wilson WR. Infectious endocarditis and infections of indwelling devices. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 80.
Holland TL, Bayer AS, Fowler VG. Endocarditis and intravascular infection. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 80.
Review Date 11/10/2024
Updated by: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.