Candida Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis: Prospective Study of Six Cases and Review of the Literature

Candida prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) is a rare entity; however, its incidence is expected to increase given the recent increase in incidence of nosocomial bloodstream candida infection. This report reviews six cases of candida PVE studied prospectively plus 12 cases previously reported in the literature. Transesophageal echocardiography was more sensitive than transthoracic echocardiography in detecting vegetations. Valvular replacement combined with antifungal therapy has been the standard treatment. However, successful therapy with long-term administration of oral fluconazole has been reported for five patients. The mortality due to candida PVE was high, especially when PVE was complicated by congestive heart failure and persistent fungemia. For uncomplicated PVE, the mortality rate for patients receiving antifungal therapy alone (40%) was no worse than for those receiving combined medical and surgical therapy (33%).