The document discusses chronic hepatitis C infection which has a prevalence rate as high as 60% among injecting drug users. It notes that patients with infective endocarditis are at higher risk of developing neurological complications such as stroke, with 10-50% of those with left-sided IE experiencing stroke usually within the first two weeks of illness. The diagnosis of infective endocarditis is now based on the modified Duke criteria which incorporates clinical, echocardiographic, and blood culture elements.