Esophageal candidiasis: An endoscopic and histopathologic study

ABSTRACT

To determine the frequency of endoscopic esophageal candidiasis and to compare the results with histopathological findings while assessing the relationship between positive oral swabs and stool examinations for Candida and esophageal candidiasis, a study was conducted on 778 patients in Iraq-Baghdad /Alyarmuk Teaching Hospital, Department of Medicine, from January 1999 to December 2000. The major presenting symptom was hematamesis. During upper GI endoscopy 22 [2.8%] had lesions suggestive of esophageal candidiasis but this could be confirmed histopathologically in only fourteen. Oral candidiasis was found in 10 of the 22 patients [45.4%]; stool examinations for Monilia were positive in only two [9%] who also gave positive oral swabs. Twenty control patients gave negative oral swabs and only three [15%] positive stools