[Case report: Purulent pericarditis caused by candida species--a rare but life-threatening disease in intensive care medicine].

We report a case of a male patient with drug abuse in his medical history who was hospitalized because of a community acquired pneumonia. Subsequently the patient developed an acute lung injury (ARDS) and a fulminant purulent pericarditis accompanied by a pericardial effusion. Caused by the pericardial tamponade cardiac function was severely restricted.