ORAL CANDIDIASIS

Course overview

ORAL CANDIDIASIS IS AN INFECTION OF THE ORAL CAVITY BY CANDIDA ALBICANS. THE CONDITION IS GENERALLY OBTAINED SECONDARY TO IMMUNE SUPPRESSION, WHICH CAN BE LOCAL OR SYSTEMIC, INCLUDING EXTREMES OF AGE (NEWBORNS AND ELDERLY), IMMUNOCOMPROMISING DISEASES SUCH AS HIV/AIDS, AND CHRONIC SYSTEMIC STEROID AND ANTIBIOTIC USE. THIS ACTIVITY ILLUSTRATES THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF ORAL CANDIDIASIS. IT HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION; IT DESCRIBES THE DISEASE'S ORIGINAL DISCOVERY, EPIDEMIOLOGY, AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND REVIEWS HOW A CLINICIAN SHOULD APPROACH A PATIENT WITH POTENTIAL ORAL CANDIDIASIS, INCLUDING HISTORY TAKING, PHYSICAL EXAMINATION, EVALUATION, DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS, AND APPROPRIATE TREATMENT.