immunology allergic disorders
Chronic Mucocutaneous Candidiasis
Symptoms and Signs of Chronic Mucocutaneous Candidiasis
Thrush is common, as are candidal infections of the scalp, skin, nails, and gastrointestinal and vaginal mucosa. Severity varies. Nails may be thickened, cracked, and discolored, with edema and erythema of the surrounding periungual tissue, resembling clubbing. Skin lesions are crusted, pustular, erythematous, and hyperkeratotic. Scalp lesions may result in scarring alopecia. Infants often present with refractory thrush, candidal diaper rash, or both. Candidal nail infections can involve the full thickness of the nail plate (onychomycosis), the edges of the nail (paronychia), or both. Image courtesy of CDC/Sherry Brinkman via the Public Health Image Library of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Creamy white patches are seen inside the mouth and may bleed when scraped off. This finding is typical of thrush, which is caused by infection withCandida. Image provided by Thomas Habif, MD. Diffuse whitish plaques are typical ofCandidaesophagitis. Image provided by Kristle Lynch, MD. 