Candida albicans endocarditis diagnosed by PCR-based molecular assay in a critically ill pediatric patient.
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.
Posteraro
Brunella
B
Institutes of Microbiology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. bposteraro@hotmail.com
Valentini
Piero
P
Delogu
Angelica
A
De
Rosa Gabriella
RG
Boccacci
Simona
S
Sanguinetti
Maurizio
M
Nacci
Aldo
A
Sopo
Stefano Miceli
SM
Ranno
Orazio
O
Morace
Giulia
G
Fadda
Giovanni
G
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
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D015725:Fluconazole