Fatal aortitis: a complication of aspergillus endocarditis following coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Abstract

The most common fungal organism to cause endocarditis is Candida which is followed by Aspergillus. Aspergillus endocarditis can occur in either the native or prosthetic heart valves, usually occurring post operatively after cardiac surgery on implanted valves. The usual route of infection for invasive aspergillosis is through inhalation of organism into the lungs. Diagnosis is difficult because blood culture usually remains negative even with extensive disease. Long term survival is limited even with surgical intervention. Herein, we present a 49-year-old man with previous history of coronary artery bypass graft and aortic valve endocarditis which was diagnosed as Aspergillus endocarditis after the valve surgery. Unfortunately the patient died because of late occurrence of progressive aortic invasion caused by Candida and Enterococci.