Catastrophic Candida prosthetic valve endocarditis and COVID-۱۹ comorbidity: A rare case

Background and Purpose: Coronavirus disease ۲۰۱۹ (COVID-۱۹) and Candida prostatic valve endocarditis present various clinical manifestations which may overlap;hence, discrimination between them is extremely difficult.Case report: The case was a ۶۶-year-old man with a past medical history of mitral and aortic valves replacement one year before COVID-۱۹ co-infection. He was admitted with fever (for ۷ days), shortness of breath, cough, seizure, lethargy,headache, and ۸۵% oxygen saturation. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed multiple large-sized, highly mobile masses on both sides of the mechanical mitral valve highly suggestive of vegetation. Chest computed tomography scanning showed simulating scattered COVID-۱۹ peripheral ground-glass opacities confirmed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. The set of blood cultures yieldedyeast colonies that were identified as Candida tropicalis. The patient died of septic shock shortly after receiving antifungal therapy.Conclusion: This case emphasized the importance of early diagnosis andimplementation of antifungal treatment, particularly in patients with prosthetic cardiacvalves, to reduce their unfavorable outcomes in COVID-۱۹ patients

Keywords:

Candida endocarditis , case report , comorbidity , COVID-۱۹ , Prosthetic valve replacement , SARS-CoV-۲ , TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY