About 8–10% of all IE cases occur in children without a pre-existing heart condition, due to the widespread use of catheters and invasive procedures, or are associated with immunosuppression. According to recent data, IE is, in most cases, a complication of pre-existing congenital heart disorders, in up to 75–90% of cases.
Fortunately, the incidence of IE is much lower in children and adolescents, with only 0.05–0.12/1000 cases being reported in hospitalized pediatric patients.
Despite the progress in management and prophylaxis measures, infective endocarditis (IE) is still a condition associated with high mortality rates and severe complications.