Candida endocarditis in a premature infant.

Endocarditis is an uncommon complication of invasive candidiasis. We present a fatal case of endocarditis caused by Candida albicans in a very low birth weight infant. The 780-g male infant did not have any structural heart disease and a central venous catheter was not placed. Endocarditis developed in spite of parenteral fluconazole treatment. Echocardiography was a valuable tool in making the diagnosis. The infant died on the 40th day of life. The development of Candida endocarditis in a premature infant who was treated with fluconazole had not been previously reported. In the case of systemic candidiasis, premature infants require very careful monitoring for the progression of the disease, even if antifungal therapy is administered.