title: Infective Endocarditis in Children in Italy from 2000 to 2015.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Italian Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases created a registry on children with infective endocarditis (IE) hospitalized in Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted on patients hospitalized due to IE in Italian paediatric wards between January 1, 2000, and June 30, 2015.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the 15-year study period, 47 IE episodes were observed (19 males; age range, 2-17 years). Viridans Streptococci were the most common pathogens among patients with predisposing cardiac conditions and Staphylococcus aureus among those without (37.9% vs. 5.5%, p = 0.018, and 6.9% vs. 27.8%, p = 0.089, respectively). Six of the 7 (85.7%) S. aureus strains were methicillin-resistant. The majority of patients with and without predisposing cardiac conditions recovered without any complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Italy, paediatric IE develops without any previous predisposing factors in a number of children, methicillin-resistant S. aureus has emerged as a common causative agent and the therapeutic approach is extremely variable.
authors.affiliation: a Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation , Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.affiliation: a Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation , Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.affiliation: b Unit of General Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases , IRCCS Bambino Gesù Hospital , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krzysztofiak
authors.affiliation: c Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital , University of Turin , Turin , Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garazzino
authors.affiliation: d Pediatric Unit , Niguarda Hospital , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lipreri
authors.affiliation: e Paediatric Infectious Disease Unit, Department of Health Sciences , University of Florence, Anna Meyer Children's University Hospital , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.affiliation: f Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit , Salesi Hospital , Ancona , Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Osimani
authors.affiliation: g Emergency Room Unit , Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fossali
authors.affiliation: h Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit , Di Cristina Hospital , Palermo , Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Gangi
authors.affiliation: b Unit of General Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases , IRCCS Bambino Gesù Hospital , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lancella
authors.affiliation: c Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital , University of Turin , Turin , Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Denina
authors.affiliation: d Pediatric Unit , Niguarda Hospital , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pattarino
authors.affiliation: e Paediatric Infectious Disease Unit, Department of Health Sciences , University of Florence, Anna Meyer Children's University Hospital , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Carlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montagnani
authors.affiliation: i Pediatric Clinic, San Paolo Hospital , University of Milan , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Salvini
authors.affiliation: b Unit of General Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases , IRCCS Bambino Gesù Hospital , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villani
authors.affiliation: a Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation , Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Principi
authors.lastname: Italian Pediatric Infective Endocarditis Registry
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D034363:Viridans Streptococci / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification
keywords: Staphylococcus aureus; anti-infective therapy; antibiotics; congenital heart disease; infective endocarditis; viridans Streptococci