Congenital Heart Disease

Bacterial Endocarditis

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Diagnosis

A blood test is the major test for bacterial endocarditis. Three to five blood samples may be taken in a 24-hour period to determine the presence of the bacteria. A urine sample also may indicate the presence of infection but is not adequate by itself for the diagnosis. An echocardiogram may detect an abnormality, such as a mass on a heart valve or on the heart wall surface, called a vegetation.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated December 18, 2008