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Native-valve endocarditis due to Candida parapsilosis

^a Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, 138 Sheng-Li Road, Tainan 704, Taiwan
^b Institute of Clinical Medicine, Medical College, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan

^* Corresponding author. Tel.: +886-6-235-3535x5602; fax: +886-6-276-6676
kcd{at}pchome.com.tw

Candida parapsilosis endocarditis is associated with a high mortality rate. Usually occurring in intravenous-drug abusers and prosthetic valve recipients, native-valve endocarditis is rarely reported. We describe a case of Candida parapsilosis endocarditis involving the aortic and mitral valves, with the patient surviving prompt double-valve replacement with amphotericin B and fluconazole treatment. Five years after the surgery, the patient was still free of recurrent symptoms. Although the results suggests that prompt surgery combined with pre- and postoperative intravenous amphotericin B and 6 months of oral antifungal antibiotic is adequate for such cases, life-long regular follow-up with echocardiography is still required.

Key Words: Candida parapsilosis; Endocarditis; Native valve; Surgery