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Fatal Candida tropicalis infection in an 8-month-old infant with an aplasia of the thymus as a rare cause of death in infancy.

Thierauf A, Dettmeyer R, Wollersen H, Musshoff F, Madea B

Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bonn, Stiftsplatz 12, 53111 Bonn, Germany. thierauf@uni-bonn.de

Anomalies of the thymus can lead to immunodeficiencies that are often associated with complex syndromes. The clinical relevance of those anomalies varies a lot. Regarding mortality and morbidity, opportunistic infections play a major role in immunocompromised individuals. Case report: An 8-month-old infant died of a sepsis with multi-organ failure after 32 days in intensive care. At autopsy, no thymus gland could be found; toxicological examinations yielded high morphine concentrations. Autopsy findings and the results of further examinations performed postmortem are discussed in view of the clinical findings, the classification and the cause of death.

Published 4 June 2007 in Forensic Sci Int, 169(2): 228-33.
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