CANDIDA-ALBICANS BLASTOCONIDIA IN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD SMEARS FROM NON-NEUTROPENIC SURGICAL PATIENTS

An 80 year old woman developed fever 11 days after volvulus surgery. A peripheral blood smear showed numerous yeast cells-both extraleucocyt ic and intraleucocytic-as well as leucoagglutination, The fungal eleme nts included blastospores, pseudohyphae, and germ tubes. Two days late r, blood cultures yielded Candida albicans, Enterobacter aerogenes, an d Staphlococcus aureus. The patient had no medical history of immunode ficiency. Several reports indicate that fungal elements may be detecte d in peripheral blood smears from patients who have a severe intestina l disease.