[Prevention of postoperative Candida endomycoses. Candida colonization and Candida antibodies in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery].

Of 23 patients undergoing heart surgery and 11 patients undergoing vessel surgery 26 (76%) are colonized with Candida albicans on admission to hospital. Postoperatively the yeast quantity in the mucocutaneous flora remains nearly constant in both groups. However, during the 2nd-3rd week after operation 21 heart surgery patients and 3 vessel surgery patients developed a significant rise in Candida antibodies in the Ig-classes G, M and/or A. Eight weeks after surgery the IgM-antibodies once again reached preoperative values in 14 of 16 patients; the IgG- and IgA-antibodies, however, tend to be of longer persistent. The antibody response is most probably due to Candida invasion via tracheal traumatization by prolonged intubation. Persistent elevation of IgM-antibodies indicates preventive antifungal therapy.