title: Fatal fungal pericarditis after cardiac surgery and immunosuppression.
abstract: The cases of two patients with fulminant pericarditis after cardiac surgery are reported. Both fungal infections developed after rethoracotomy for open-chest cardiac resuscitation and high-dose glucocorticoid treatment. Although the time course of both infections from the inoculation of fungi during rethoracotomy and immunosuppression with glucocorticoids to the lethal outcome was strikingly similar, histopathologic studies disclosed the disparate character of the two fungal pathogens responsible: the yeast Candida albicans and the angiotropic mold Aspergillus fumigatus.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Carrel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schaffner
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laske
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: von Segesser
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Turina
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000209:etiology*; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus; D002176:Candida albicans; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000209:etiology*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000209:etiology*; D012086:Reoperation
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone