Candidiasis

by CDC

What is OPC?

Candidiasis of the mouth and throat, also known as a "thrush" or oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC), is a fungal infection that occurs when there is overgrowth of fungus called Candida. Candida is normally found on skin or mucous membranes. However, if the environment inside the mouth or throat becomes imbalanced, Candida can multiply. When this happens, symptoms of thrush appear.

How common is OPC and who can get it?

OPC can affect normal newborns, but it occurs more frequently and more severely in people with weakened immune systems, particularly in persons with AIDS.

What are the symptoms of OPC?

People with OPC infection usually have painless, white patches in the mouth. Symptoms of OPC in the esophagus may include pain and difficulty swallowing.

How do I get OPC?

Most cases of OPC are caused by the person's own Candida organisms which normally live in the mouth or digestive tract. A person has symptoms when overgrowth of Candida organisms occurs.

How is OPC diagnosed?

OPC is diagnosed in two ways. A doctor may take a swab or sample of infected tissue and look at it under a microscope. If there is evidence of Candida infection, the sample will be cultured to confirm the diagnosis.

How is OPC treated?

Prescription treatments such as, Oral fluconazole, clotrimazole troches, or nystatin suspension usually provide effective treatment for OPC.

What will happen if a person does not seek treatment for a OPC?

Symptoms, which may be uncomfortable, may persist. In rare cases, invasive candidiasis may occur.

Can Candida-causing OPC become resistant to treatment?

Overuse of antifungal medications can increase the chance that they will eventually not work (the fungus develops resistance to medications). Therefore, it is important to be sure of the diagnosis from before treating with over-the-counter or other antifungal medications.

Invasive Candidiasis

What is invasive candidiasis?

Invasive candidiasis is a fungal infection that occurs when Candida species enter the blood, causing bloodstream infection and then spreading throughout the body.

How common is invasive candidiasis and who can get it?

One form of invasive candidiasis, candidemia, is the fourth most common bloodstream infection among hospitalized patients in the United States.. A survey conducted at CDC found that candidemia occurs in 8 of every 100,000 persons per year. Persons at high risk for candidemia include low-birth-weight babies, surgical patients, and those whose immune systems are deficient.

What are the symptoms of invasive candidiasis?

The symptoms of invasive candidiasis are not specific. Fever and chills that do not improve after antibiotic therapy are the most common symptoms. If the infection spreads to deep organs such as kidneys, liver, bones, muscles, joints, spleen, or eyes, additional specific symptoms may develop, which vary depending on the site of infection. If the infection does not respond to treatment, the patient's organs may fail and cause death.

How is invasive candidiasis transmitted?

Invasive candidiasis may result when a person's own Candida organisms, normally found in the digestive tract, enter the bloodstream. On rare occasions, it can also occur when medical equipment or devices become contaminated with Candida. In either case, the infection may spread throughout the body.

How is invasive candidiasis diagnosed?

Invasive candidiasis is usually diagnosed by either culture of blood or tissue or by examining samples of infected tissue under the microscope.

How is invasive candidiasis treated?

Invasive candidiasis is usually treated with Amphotericin B given intravenously(IV) (in the vein) or with azole drugs taken by mouth or IV.

About the Author

www.cdc.gov
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the 13 major operating components of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is the principal agency in the United States government for protecting the health and safety of all Americans and for providing essential human services, especially for those people who are least able to help themselves.