title: Incidence and outcome of documented fungal endocarditis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fungal endocarditis, the most severe form of infective endocarditis, is characterized by excessive mortality and morbidity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to analyze the characteristics of fungal endocarditis to improve the management of these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, vegetations on the mitral or tricuspid valves and embolic material surgically removed from the patients with suspected infective endocarditis between December 2009 and November 2011 were examined for fungal infection by direct smear and culture, and the susceptibility patterns of the isolated species were determined. Then, blood samples were cultured on BACTEC media and real-time PCR was done with blood and tissue samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 31 patients with suspected infective endocarditis who did not respond to antibacterial therapy, 11 had confirmed fungal endocarditis. The most frequent predisposing risk factors were previous surgery and drug abuse. The organisms isolated were Aspergillus spp. and Candida albicans. Resistance to amphotericin B and itraconazole was observed in Aspergillus species, and to fluconazole in Candida albicans. Positive PCR results were obtained in blood and tissue samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fungal endocarditis should be considered in the patients not responsive to antimicrobials. Moreover, management of these patients can be improved with molecular diagnostic methods and by determining the susceptibility patterns of the etiologic agents.
authors.affiliation: Professor Alborzi Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Parisa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Badiee
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Amirghofran
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghazi Nour
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Masih
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shafa
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hassan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Nemati
keywords: Aspergillus; Candida; Endocarditis; Fungus Susceptibility