Candida parapsilosis diagnosed by peripheral blood smear

A 52-year-old man presented with a history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and Kaposi's sarcoma. Three days after admission for clinical sepsis, yeast forms were noted within monocytes and neutrophils on a routine peripheral blood smear. Blood cultures yielded a pure culture of Candida parapsilosis. Despite antifungal therapy, the patient died 22 days after admission. This case represents the first reported instance of C parapsilosis sepsis diagnosed through a peripheral blood smear.