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[Candida albicans prosthetic valve endocarditis. Two cases]
Hatem Bouraoui1, Abdallah Mahdhaoui, Jilani Zaaraoui
1Service de Cardiologie, Hôpital Farhat-Hached, 4000 Sousse, Tunisie. hatembouraoui@yahoo.fr
Abstract:
TWO CASES: Candida albicans prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) is a rare entity with serious complications. We report two cases of Candida albicans PVE, confirmed by culture of the prosthetic valve. The first patient died twenty days after surgery with cerebral bleeding secondary to multiple mycotic aneurysms, the second patient was still alive eight months following a Saint-Jude aortic valve replacement and prolonged antifungal therapy. The difficulty of diagnosis and management are discussed.
Insights
Candida albicans prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) is rare but serious. Early diagnosis and antifungal therapy are crucial for managing this life-threatening condition.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Cardiology
- Mycology
Background:
- Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) caused by Candida albicans is a rare but severe clinical entity.
- Fungal endocarditis poses diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, particularly in prosthetic heart valves.
Observation:
- Two cases of Candida albicans PVE are presented, confirmed by prosthetic valve cultures.
- Case 1: Patient died from cerebral bleeding due to mycotic aneurysms 20 days post-surgery.
- Case 2: Patient survived 8 months post-aortic valve replacement with prolonged antifungal treatment.
Findings:
- Candida albicans PVE requires prompt identification and aggressive management.
- Successful outcomes may depend on early diagnosis, appropriate antifungal therapy, and surgical intervention.
- Mycotic aneurysms are a serious complication, leading to high mortality.
Implications:
- Highlights the critical need for heightened clinical suspicion for fungal PVE in at-risk patients.
- Emphasizes the importance of prolonged antifungal therapy and multidisciplinary management strategies.
- Suggests a need for further research into optimal diagnostic and treatment protocols for Candida PVE.