ESOPHAGEAL CANDIDIASIS

Course overview

THE MOST PREVALENT CAUSE OF INFECTIOUS ESOPHAGITIS IS ESOPHAGEAL CANDIDIASIS. OF PATIENTS THAT HAVE INFECTIOUS ESOPHAGITIS, 88% ARE FROM CANDIDA ALBICANS, 10% ARE FROM HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS, AND 2% ARE FROM CYTOMEGALOVIRUS. PATIENTS WITH ESOPHAGEAL CANDIDIASIS MAY HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF SYMPTOMS OR MAY BE ASYMPTOMATIC. THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS BEING DYSPHAGIA, ODYNOPHAGIA, AND RETROSTERNAL PAIN. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSE, PRESENTATION, AND DIAGNOSIS OF ESOPHAGEAL CANDIDIASIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.