Fatal right-sided endocarditis due to Aspergillus in a kidney transplant recipient

Abstract

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is an emerging infectious disease in different groups of immunocompromised patients. In transplant recipients, intensification of immunosuppressive therapy to treat allograft rejection poses a major risk factor for IA. We present the clinical features, diagnostic findings and outcome of a kidney transplant recipient who developed pulmonary aspergillosis complicated by endocarditis of his native tricuspid valve. Despite replacement of the valve and treatment with combined antifungal therapy, the patient died of an acute pulmonary bleeding.