Echocardiographic Diagnosis of Aortic Valve Vegetations in Candida Endocarditis

Abstract

Similar echocardiographic findings in two patients with surgically confirmed Candida endocarditis of the aortic valve are described. It is suggested that echocardiography performed early in the clinical course of evaluation of drug abuse patients with suspected endocarditis, particularly in the presence of negative blood cultures and systemic emboli, may help establish the diagnosis. Once the diagnosis has been suggested by echocardiography, further steps for confirmation of the diagnosis of Candida endocarditis and therapeutic intervention may be undertaken with minimal time lag.