CANDIDA ENDOCARDITIS IN NON-ADDICT PATIEN TS - A DISEASE WITH A HIGH MORTALITY-RATE

Candida endocarditis is a rare infection which occurs under particular epidemiological circumstances, such a drug addiction, immunosuppressi on, prolonged intravenous therapy and valvular replacement surgery. Di agnosis requires a high suspicious index and is based on the demonstra tion of the organism in cardiac vegetations, peripheral embolisms or i n positive blood-cultures; also when valvular insufficiency murmurs, e mbolic phenomena and echocardiogram-proved vegetations are present. In spite of antifungal therapy and valvular replacement, the mortality r ate in Candida endocarditis is still higher than 80%. Three new cases of the entity are here reported stressing the diagnostic and therapeut ical difficulties.