**1. Introduction**

Infective endocarditis (IE), reflecting infections of the heart—as manifested by vegetations on the valvular structures, abscess cavities of the myocardium, invasive fistula, or infections on intracardiac prosthetic devices—represents a significant problem that continues to challenge clinicians. The epidemiology of infections reflects not only the dark side of the progresses in medical therapy but also some of the social problems that plague modern society. The changing microbiology also reflects how this complex disease has also paralleled the advances in medicine. Diagnostic tools continue to evolve with not only improvements in imaging technologies but also our understandings on how to appropriately use them to better understand the overall clinical picture. In addition, the role of therapies—especially early surgical intervention—has been demonstrated to have a significant impact on the management and outcomes of infected patients. The goal of this text is to highlight some of the current concepts in the clinical characteristics, presentation, diagnosis, and management options.
