Fatal fungal infection following open-heart surgery.

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Abstract
A patient with congenital aortic valve stenosis is described in whom valvotomy was followed by fatal Candida infection of an aneurysm at the aortic incision. A febrile illness with large arterial emboli began 4 months after operation with metastatic infection of the spine, hip, and brain. Death occurred 1 year after onset. Blood cultures were repeatedly sterile, despite widespread embolization of clot containing mycelia. There was a raised agglutinin titer against Candida albicans. This finding may be of diagnostic help when repeated blood cultures are sterile.