title: A case of Candida mediastinitis after dental extraction.
abstract: Acute mediastinitis is a serious infection involving the connective mediastinal tissue in the interpleural spaces and other thoracic structures. Candida albicans mediastinitis is a rare clinical entity associated with high mortality and morbidity. We present a rare case of a previously healthy and immunocompetent man with Candida mediastinitis due to retropharyngeal abscess after dental extraction, who presented with odynophagia and fever. Antibiotics were prescribed and surgical drainage was performed after diagnosis of mediastinitis by CT scan; however, the patient remained febrile.  The second culture obtained during irrigation of the mediastinum was positive for Candida albicans and the patient was responsive to antifungal therapy and survived. This case illustrates the need to consider a fungal cause in immunocompetent patients with mediastinitis who are not responsive to broad spectrum antibiotics and surgical drainage.
authors.affiliation: Prof. Alborzi Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. badieep@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Parisa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Badiee
authors.forename: Abdolvahab
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alborzi
authors.forename: Farimah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Farhoudi
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D004322:Drainage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008480:Mediastinitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D017703:Retropharyngeal Abscess / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents