A 35-year-old female presents to the clinic with persistent fever, weight loss, and painless erythematous lesions on the palms and soles (Janeway lesions). Blood cultures grow Streptococcus viridans. Which diagnostic criteria framework is standardly utilized to establish the diagnosis of infective endocarditis?

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: D. Modified Duke Criteria

  1. Step 1: The Modified Duke Criteria are the international clinical standard for diagnosing infective endocarditis, integrating major criteria (positive blood cultures for typical organisms, echocardiographic evidence of endocardial involvement) and minor criteria (fever, predisposing cardiac condition, vascular phenomena like Janeway lesions, immunologic phenomena like Osler nodes).
  2. Step 2: Consequently, the correct clinical answer is Modified Duke Criteria.
Answer
Modified Duke Criteria.
Why not the others: 'Centor Criteria' estimate the probability of Group A Streptococcal pharyngitis; 'Jones Criteria' diagnose acute rheumatic fever; 'Wells Criteria' calculate pre-test clinical probability of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

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