Candida albicans can cause endocarditis in which group?

• A. Neonates
• B. IV drug users
• C. Healthy college students
• D. Elderly with COPD

Answer: (B)

Candida endocarditis is classically seen when the organism is introduced directly into the bloodstream, which happens with intravenous drug use. In that scenario, Candida albicans can seed heart valves, most often affecting the right side of the heart (the tricuspid valve) because it’s the first valve the venous return encounters. This makes intravenous drug users the group at highest risk for this fungal endocarditis.

Neonates can have candidemia from invasive lines, but endocarditis is not the typical presentation. Healthy college students have no particular risk, and elderly individuals with COPD are more prone to other types of infection or bacterial endocarditis rather than fungal endocarditis due to Candida.