Surgical pathology of native valve endocarditis in 310 specimens from 287 patients (1985-2004)

NVE affected men nearly three times as frequently as women. Diabetes mellitus emerged as a prevalent (and previously underrecognized) risk factor for NVE. The most common infecting organisms were streptococci and staphylococci. Microorganisms were identified histologically in the majority of active endocarditis cases.