Candida Endocarditis: A Review of the Pathogenesis, Morphology, Risk Factors, and Management of an Emerging and Serious Condition

Abstract

Infective endocarditis is a significant healthcare burden due to the associated high mortality and complications. Endocarditis caused by both Candida albicans (C. albicans) and non-Candida albicans Candida (NCAC) species has been associated with a substantial rise in in-hospital morbidity and mortality. We used the Pubmed database to identify 47 out of 101 articles that had met our inclusion and exclusion criteria. We had put in place a broad inclusion criterion with no age or gender restrictions. These 47 articles included abstracts, 11 review articles, 13 case reports, 10 research articles, 1 clinical trial report, 1 meta-analysis, and other research articles. And they comprehensively cover the pathogenesis, risk factors, and management of infections caused by C. albicans and NCAC species in the past 26 years. The articles we scanned provided us with information on different associations in correlation to multiple types of Candida species. Here, we discuss the association between Candida and endocarditis, a major cause of morbidity and mortality in both C. albicans and NCAC. We also present our understanding regarding this interesting association and attempt to address some of the recurring questions.