Aspergillus terreus myocarditis: report of a case and review of the literature.

Aspergillus terreus is an uncommon cause of myocarditis, with only six reported cases in the world literature. This report describes a case of severe disseminated Aspergillus terreus infection with extensive involvement of the heart in an immunosuppressed patient after aortic valve replacement surgery. Pathologic findings are similar to those found in Aspergillus fumigatus myocarditis. All six previously reported cases of A. terreus carditis occurred in postoperative cardiac surgery or immunocompromised patients. This pathogen should not be dismissed as simply a colonizing organism or a contaminant in fungal cultures, particularly those from hospitalized or seriously ill patients.