ESC GUIDELINES2015 ESC Guidelines for the management of infective endocarditisThe Task Force for the Management of Infective Endocarditis of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)Endorsed by: European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS), the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM)Authors/Task Force Members: Gilbert Habib*(Chairperson) (France), Patrizio Lancellotti*(co-Chairperson) (Belgium), Manuel J. Antunes (Portugal), MariaGraziaBongiorni (Italy),Jean-PaulCasalta(France),FrancescoDelZotti (Italy), Raluca Dulgheru (Belgium), Gebrine El Khoury (Belgium), Paola Anna Erbaa(Italy), Bernard Iung (France), Jose M. Mirob(Spain), Barbara J. Mulder (The Netherlands), Edyta Plonska-Gosciniak (Poland), Susanna Price (UK), Jolien Roos-Hesselink (The Netherlands), Ulrika Snygg-Martin (Sweden), Franck Thuny (France), Pilar Tornos Mas (Spain), Isidre Vilacosta (Spain), and Jose Luis Zamorano (Spain)Document Reviewers: etin Erol (CPG Review Coordinator) (Turkey), Petros Nihoyannopoulos (CPG Review Coordinator) (UK), Victor Aboyans (France), Stefan Agewall (Norway), George Athanassopoulos (Greece), Saide Aytekin (Turkey), Werner Benzer (Austria), He ctor Bueno (Spain), Lidewij Broekhuizen (The Netherlands), Scipione Carerj (Italy), Bernard Cosyns (Belgium), Julie De Backer (Belgium), Michele De Bonis (Italy), Konstantinos Dimopoulos(UK), ErwanDonal (France),Heinz Drexel (Austria),FrankArnold Flachskampf (Sweden), Roger Hall (UK), Sigrun Halvorsen (Norway), Bruno Hoenb(France), Paulus Kirchhof (UK/Germany),*Corresponding authors: Gilbert Habib, Service de Cardiologie, C.H.U. De La Timone, Bd Jean Moulin, 13005 Marseille, France, Tel: +33 4 91 38 75 88, Fax: +33 4 91 38 47 64, Email: gilbert.habib2gmail.comPatrizio Lancellotti, University of Lie ge Hospital, GIGA Cardiovascular Sciences, Departments of Cardiology, Heart Valve Clinic, CHU Sart Tilman, Lie ge, Belgium GVM Care and Research, E.S. Health Science Foundation, Lugo (RA), Italy, Tel: +3243667196, Fax: +3243667194, Email: plancellottichu.ulg.ac.beESC Committee for Practice Guidelines (CPG) and National Cardiac Societies document reviewers: listed in the AppendixESC entities having participated in the development of this document:ESC Associations: Acute Cardiovascular Care Association (ACCA), European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention however, the ESC Guidelines do not override, in any way whatsoever, the individual responsibility of health professionals to make appropriate and accurate decisions in consideration of each patients health condition and in consultation with that patient and, where appropriate and/or necessary, the patients caregiver. Nordo the ESC Guidelines exempthealth professionalsfromtaking into full andcarefulconsiderationthe relevant official updated recommendationsor guidelines issued by the competentpublic health authorities, in order to manage each patients case in light of the scientifically accepted data pursuant to their respective ethical and professional obligations. It is also the health professionals responsibility to verify the applicable rules and regulations relating to drugs and medical devices at the time of prescription. bRepresenting the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID); andcRepresenting the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS).- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - KeywordsEndocarditis Cardiacimaging Valvedisease Echocardiography Prognosis Guidelines Infection Nuclear imaging Cardiac surgery Cardiac device Prosthetic heart valves Congenital heart disease Pregnancy Prophylaxis PreventionTable of ContentsAbbreviations and acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 1. Preamble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42. Justification/scope of the problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 3. Prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 3.1 Rationale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 3.2 Population at risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 3.3 Situations and procedures at risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 3.3.1 Dental procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 3.3.2 Other at-risk procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 3.4 Prophylaxis for dental procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 3.5 Prophylaxis for non-dental procedures . . . . . . . . . . . .8 3.5.1 Respiratory tract procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 3.5.2 Gastrointestinal or genitourinary procedures . . . . .8 3.5.3 Dermatological or musculoskeletal procedures . . . .8 3.5.4 Body piercing and tattooing . . . . . . . . . . . .