This new addition will provide an update on the current prophylaxis guidelines, the new diagnostic approach in the detection of the disease, the proposed schemas to predict prognosis, and the new treatment strategies to improve the outcome of patients afflicted with this serious condition.  Endocarditis is a serious disease with a high rate of morbidity and mortality.  The in-hospital mortality remains at 10-20%. The poor outcome of patients with this condition is due in large part to the delay in making the diagnosis which frequently can be elusive.  As a result of its wide spectrum of manifestations, endocarditis can mimic many different conditions ranging from stroke to renal failure.  In order to minimize the delay in diagnosis, clinicians need to always be mindful of the possibility that endocarditis may be the cause of the symptoms.