Diagnosis of Systemic Candidiasis in Smears of Venous Blood Stained with Wright’s Stain

A 63-year-old man with systemic candidiasis following multiple recent surgical procedures for correction of intestinal obstruction and an indwelling central venous pressure (CVP) catheter was first found to have Candida albicans by examination of a smear of venous blood stained with Wright’s stain. Descriptions of the organism and suggestions for the identification of similar cases are presented. This case report emphasizes that systemic candidiasis may first be detected by examination of a blood smear.