Fatal Candida tropicalis infection in an 8-month-old infant with an aplasia of the thymus as a rare cause of death in infancy.
Anomalies of the thymus can lead to immunodeficiencies that are often associated with complex syndromes. The clinical relevance of those anomalies varies a lot. Regarding mortality and morbidity, opportunistic infections play a major role in immunocompromised individuals.


METHODS
An 8-month-old infant died of a sepsis with multi-organ failure after 32 days in intensive care. At autopsy, no thymus gland could be found; toxicological examinations yielded high morphine concentrations. Autopsy findings and the results of further examinations performed postmortem are discussed in view of the clinical findings, the classification and the cause of death.
Thierauf
Annette
A
Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bonn, Stiftsplatz 12, 53111 Bonn, Germany. thierauf@uni-bonn.de
Dettmeyer
Reinhard
R
Wollersen
Heike
H
Musshoff
Frank
F
Madea
Burkhard
B
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000032:analysis; D041022:Candida tropicalis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007223:Infant; D009020:Morphine / Q000032:analysis; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000382:microbiology; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000382:microbiology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000002:abnormalities*
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D009020:Morphine