[Fungal Infection in Upper Gastrointestinal Tract]

Abstract

Mycoses refer to infectious diseases caused by fungi. Fungal infections are rare and mainly occur as opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. Candida species are the most common cause of mycosis; however, members of the order Mucorales or genus Aspergillus may also cause serious fungal infections in immunocompromised hosts. Fungal infections of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract can be asymptomatic or may present with abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, or GI bleeding. Although rare, thorough understanding of fungal infections of the upper GI tract encountered in real-world clinical settings can enable early diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment to improve patient prognosis.

Keywords: Aspergillosis; Candidiasis; Mucormycosis; Mycoses; Upper gastrointestinal tract.

Fig. 1.

Esophageal candidiasis. Endoscopic severity of Kodsi’s classification. A: Grade I, a few raised white plaques up to 2 mm in size without edema or ulceration. B: Grade II, multiple raised white plaques greater than 2 mm in size without ulceration. C: Grade III, confluent, linear, and nodular elevated plaques. D: Grade IV, finding of grade III with increased friability of the mucous membranes and occasional narrowing of the lumen.

Fig. 2.

Gastric candidiasis. Endoscopic severity of gastric candidiasis. A: Ulcerative type, exudate with ulcer. This patient underwent esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, and a benign gastric ulcer with candidiasis was identified below the anastomosis site. B: Gastric candidiasis with the ulcer base in a patient with gastric MALToma.