What condition is characterized by a bacterial infection of the heart's chambers or valves?

Bacterial endocarditis is characterized by a bacterial infection of the heart's chambers or valves. This condition occurs when bacteria enter the bloodstream and attach to damaged areas of the heart, particularly the heart valves. The infection can lead to inflammation of the endocardium, which is the inner lining of the heart. Symptoms often include fever, chills, fatigue, and new heart murmurs, and it can result in serious complications, such as heart valve damage or embolism.

In contrast, aortic stenosis involves the narrowing of the aortic valve, which can impede blood flow but is not an infection. Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle itself, often due to viral infections rather than bacterial. Pericarditis is the inflammation of the pericardium, the outer layer surrounding the heart, and can also be caused by viral or bacterial infections but does not directly affect the heart's chambers or valves. Hence, bacterial endocarditis uniquely describes the bacterial infection of the heart's structure.