BACTERIAL ENDOCARDITIS WITH CANDIDA ALBICANS SUPERINFECTION.

Clinical and pathological features of two fatal cases of bacterial endocarditis with Candida albicans superinfection are described. One patient presented with combined Streptococcus viridans and Candida endocarditis of the aortic valve. The second patient, an addict to paregoric injected intravenously, developed Staphylococcus aureus of the tricuspid valve with eventual Candida endocarditis. The responsible organisms were identified from blood cultures during the hospital course, and by culture or tissue section of postmortem material. Candida endocarditis has emerged as a disease entity in the past 20 years. The incidence is increasing and patients with bacterial endocarditis are among those at risk. Antibiotic therapy appeared to facilitate the development of Candida endocarditis in these two cases.