Oral candidiasis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| ICD-10 | B37.0 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | 112.0 |
Oral candidiasis, also oral thrush, is an infection of yeast fungus, Candida albicans, (or, less commonly, Candida glabrata or Candida tropicalis) in the mucous membranes of the mouth. Thrush is only a temporary candida infection in the mouths of babies. However, the term is sometimes expanded to include candida infections occurring in the mouth and throat of adults, also known as candidosis or moniliasis.
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[edit] Symptoms
White, cream coloured, or yellow spots in the mouth. The spots are slightly raised. No pain in the area underneath the spots is very common. If you scrape off these spots, they leave small wounds that bleed slightly. In adults, thrush can cause an uncomfortable burning sensation in the mouth and throat.
[edit] Who is at special risk?
- Newborn babies.
- Denture users.
- Adults with diabetes or other metabolic disturbance.
- People undergoing antibiotic or chemotherapy treatment.
- People with poor nutrition
- People with an immune deficiency (AIDS/HIV).
- Patients after a tonsillectomy.
- Women undergoing hormonal changes, like pregnancy or those on birth control pills
- People who perform cunnilingus or fellatio on sexual partner who has thrush.
- People who take inhaled steroids for treatment of lung conditions (e.g, Asthma or COPD)
- The risks for this demographic can be reduced by regularly rinsing the mouth with water after taking the medication
- People who drink large amounts of milk.
[edit] Treatment
This can be treated with anti-fungal drugs, such as nystatin (mycostatin), itraconazole or amphotericin B.
