CANDIDAL BRAIN-ABSCESS ASSOCIATED WITH VASCULAR INVASION - A DEVASTATING COMPLICATION OF VASCULAR CATHETER-RELATED CANDIDEMIA

We describe a patient who developed Candida albicans brain abscess ass ociated with prominent vascular invasion following an episode of centr al venous catheter-related fungemia The increasing population of immun osuppressed patients and the frequent use of broad-spectrum antimicrob ials, corticosteroids, chemotherapeutics, organ transplantation, and p rolonged supportive measures are responsible for an increasing inciden ce of candidal infections. Brain abscess is a rare complication of can didemia but may be expected to become more common as venous catheter-r elated fungemia is encountered more frequently.