[Candida endocarditis in non-addict patients: a disease with high mortality. A clinico-pathological study of 3 cases].

Candida endocarditis is a rare infection which occurs under particular epidemiological circumstances, such a drug addiction, immunosuppression, prolonged intravenous therapy and valvular replacement surgery. Diagnosis requires a high suspicious index and is based on the demonstration of the organism in cardiac vegetations, peripheral embolisms or in positive blood-cultures; also when valvular insufficiency murmurs, embolic phenomena and echocardiogram-proved vegetations are present. In spite of antifungal therapy and valvular replacement, the mortality rate in Candida endocarditis is still higher than 80%. Three new cases of the entity are here reported stressing the diagnostic and therapeutical difficulties.