Oropharyngeal candidiasis

Oropharyngeal candidiasis, commonly referred to as oral thrush, is an opportunistic fungal infection affecting the mucosal lining of the oral cavity and pharynx The condition predominantly develops when local or systemic immune defenses or normal microflora are disrupted, frequently impacting infants, denture wearers, individuals using broad-spectrum antibiotics or inhaled corticosteroids, and immunocompromised populations such as patients with HIV infection, hematologic malignancies, or diabete...

Oropharyngeal candidiasis, commonly referred to as oral thrush, is an opportunistic fungal infection affecting the mucosal lining of the oral cavity and pharynx

It is primarily caused by an overgrowth of *Candida* species—most frequently *Candida albicans*—which naturally colonize the mucous membranes as commensal flora The condition predominantly develops when local or systemic immune defenses or normal microflora are disrupted, frequently impacting infants, denture wearers, individuals using broad-spectrum antibiotics or inhaled corticosteroids, and immunocompromised populations such as patients with HIV infection, hematologic malignancies, or diabete...

It is primarily caused by an overgrowth of *Candida* species—most frequently *Candida albicans*—which naturally colonize the mucous membranes as commensal flora

Clinically, it is characterized by white, curdy pseudomembranous plaques that can be scraped off to reveal an erythematous base, often accompanied by oral mucosal erythema, local burning pain, dysgeusia, and dysphagia