Candidiasis
Background
- Candidiasis encompasses a wide array of local and invasive infections which vary extensively in clinical presentation and affect more than 250,000 patients worldwide per year
- Local mucocutanoues infections include: oropharyngeal candidiasis, esophagitis, vulvovaginitis, balanitis, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, and mastitis
- Invasive infections include: Fungal UTI, Meningitis, Endocarditis, Empyema, Mediastinitis, Pericarditis
Risk Factors
- Skin maceration
- Immunosupression: HIV/AIDS, Corticosteroid use, Chemotherapy, Immunomodulators
- Broad spectrum antibiotic use
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Hematologic Malignancy
- Central Venous Catheters use
- Total Parenteral nutrition use
- Neutropenia
Clinical Features
- Oropharyngeal Candidiasis: psuedomembrane white plaques adhered to oral mucosa, tongue, or phaynx
- Esophageal Candidiasis: AIDS definining illness, odynophagia, white esophageal plaques
- Cutaneous Candidiasis: erythematous, macerated, intertriginous plaques with pustules
- Chronic mucocutaneous Candidiasis
- Candida Vulvovaginitis
Differential Diagnosis
Evaluation
- Candidiasis is primarily diagnosed clinically
- Confirmatory tests available by KOH preparation of skin scrapings revealing budding yeasts with pseudohyphae