Native-valve endocarditis due to Candida parapsilosis

Candida parapsilosis endocarditis is associated with a high mortality rate. Usually occurring in intravenous-drug abusers and prosthetic valve recipients, native-valve endocarditis is rarely reported. We describe a case of Candida parapsilosis endocarditis involving the aortic and mitral valves, with the patient surviving prompt double-valve replacement with amphotericin B and fluconazole treatment. Five years after the surgery, the patient was still free of recurrent symptoms. Although the results suggests that prompt surgery combined with pre- and postoperative intravenous amphotericin B and 6 months of oral antifungal antibiotic is adequate for such cases, life-long regular follow-up with echocardiography is still required.