Thrush (mouth infection caused by fungi)

Mouth | General Practice | Thrush (mouth infection caused by fungi) (Disease)


Description

Thrush, in mild form may remain asymptomatic. In medium severe forms symptoms. Symptoms of oral candidiasis in infants are: Spots (deposits) white located in the mouth and tongue to look cheesy. Thrush can be confused with milk deposits that remain after feeding. These white spots are adhering to the lining and cheese can not be easily removed. If they are rubbed, or bleeding - tongue and mouth are painful and can have difficulty swallowing; Loss of appetite: refuse infant meals, easily confusing the symptom with the mother state of satiety (lack of hunger) of the child. In these conditions, a baby may become fussy; Nappy rash: occurs when the fungal infection spreads and the gut, the fungus is present in the infant seat; Nipples painful and erythematous (red) mother: infant thrush may go unnoticed until the mothers nipples become red and painful, especially during or after feeding.

Causes and Risk factors

Thrush (oropharyngeal) is an infection caused by fungi that grow in the mouth, tongue and throat. Thrush is more common in newborns, infants and elderly, but can occur at any age. In healthy newborns and infants thrush is not a serious problem, it is treated and cured very easy. Some medications allow fungi to grow unchecked: Antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum (e. g. tetracycline); Oral contraceptives (pills); Drugs that lower the bodys defense capacity, and corticosteroids. Candida, the fungus that causes thrush is present normally in small amounts in the mouth and other mucous membranes of the body. Usually, it does not cause damage. In the presence of favorable factors, the fungus multiplies excessively and uncontrollably invading surrounding tissues. Thrush is most commonly caused by Candida albicans, but may be involved and other genres such as Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis or Candida glabrata. The multiplying of this fungus is controlled by a number of bacteria present in the mouth. The emergence of new bacteria in the mouth that breaks the balance of microorganisms already present here, will allow the fungus to be proliferating.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Two broad categories of therapy exist to treat oral thrush - a traditional medical approach and a homeopathic approach. Traditional medications may either be topically applied (for example, nystatin, 1% gentian violet) or ingested in liquid form (for example, fluconazole). Nystatin is generally applied four times a day for approximately five to seven days. When treating infants and toddlers, application using a small gauze or Q-tip is more effective than just drinking the preparation. Most pediatricians will elect topical nystatin in lieu of oral medications for ease of administration, reserving the use of fluconazole for treatment failures; 1% gentian violet is rarely used due to the long-lasting bright purple stain it makes in the mouth or on clothing/bed linen. ...