title: Candida albicans endocarditis diagnosed by PCR-based molecular assay in a critically ill pediatric patient.
abstract: A young Down's syndrome patient developed tricuspid valve endocarditis several years after undergoing surgical closure of a congenital ventricular septal defect. Fungal etiology was established by PCR amplification of the Candida albicans ERG11 gene. Although antifungal therapy was administered, surgical replacement of the infected valve was required to eliminate the infection.
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Microbiology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. bposteraro@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Brunella
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Posteraro
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Valentini
authors.forename: Angelica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delogu
authors.forename: Rosa Gabriella
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: De
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boccacci
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanguinetti
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nacci
authors.forename: Stefano Miceli
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sopo
authors.forename: Orazio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ranno
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morace
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fadda
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016638:Critical Illness; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005800:Genes, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D015725:Fluconazole