Incidence of candida species in thrush stomatitis and their sensitivity to new antifungal drugs

ABSTRACT

Oral thrush is one of the commonest mycosis in health as well as in debilitated infants and children, especially in those receiving antibiotics or immunosuppressive drugs. Candida albicans is the commonest causative agent. Treatment of this infection is still difficult. Recently, several antifungal drugs were introduced, which were studied on 300 patients in the age group of birth up to 5 years with thrush stomatitis. From each patient, two swabs were obtained; one for culture of Candida species and the other for microscopic examiniation for the presence of yeast cells. The isolated yeast colonies were further identified. One hundred strains of candida isolated from cases with thrush stomatitis were tested for their sensitivity to six antifungal drugs using the disc diffusion method. Although nystatin was proved to be the drug of choice, yet it is only for topical use. So, other systemic drugs should be given