[Cardiac infection].

Cardiac infection usually refers to infective endocarditis (IE) and purulent pericarditis. Though, IE was initially observed in patients with congenital or rheumatic heart disease, currently, persons with prosthetic cardiac valves and with degenerative heart disease account for the majority of the cases and there has been a significant trend toward an increase in the age of patients. Echocardiography, especially, transesophageal echocardiography, has provided valuable information for diagnosis. Since cure requires eradication of all the organisms, bactericidal agents must be used sufficient period to sterilize the vegetation. Overall mortality from recent reports is 10%. Purulent pericarditis almost always occurs in the setting of other serious disease and it's specific signs are often absent, so the disease still carries a high mortality.