Introduction

• Rare, opportunistic infection. Requires predisposing factors to cause disease.
• Cause:Candida albicans usually involved.
• Signs: predilection sites are external ear, mucocutaneous areas, intertriginous areas and nail bed.
• Presents as whitish plaques covering non-healing ulcer on oral mucosa, or red plaques on skin.
• Diagnosis: cytopathology, mycology, biopsy.
• Treatment: correction of predisposing factors, antifungal drugs.
• Prognosis: responds to antifungal agents provided predisposing factors corrected.

Pathogenesis

Predisposing factors

General

• Tissue damage: burns, maceration, catheter implantation.
• Prolonged antibiotic therapy.
• Immunosuppression, eg diabetes mellitus Diabetes mellitus , hyperadrenocorticism Hyperadrenocorticism , or corticosteroid therapy.

Pathophysiology

• Normal inhabitant of intestinal, upper respiratory and genital tracts.
• Opportunistic infection requiring breakdown of normal surface defences, eg excessive moisture, tissue maceration, indwelling catheter.
• Invasion of keratin → ulcerative lesions.

• Breakdown of normal surface defences or disruption of microflora allows Candida spp Candida albicans to invade surface tissues and produce ulceration.

Diagnosis

Treatment

Prevention

Outcomes