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Oral candidiasis (thrush)
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Oral candidiasis is an infection of the mouth caused by a fungus, Candida albicans. Its most common form has a long name, acute pseudomembranous candidiasis, but it is commonly known as thrush.
Candida lives in the healthy mouth. Two things keep it in check there: the body's defenses, known as immunity, and the bacteria that normally live in the mouth. When that immunity is disrupted, the fungus overgrows and forms a pseudomembrane, a layer that sits on top of the mucosa, the moist lining of the mouth.
Thrush appears mainly in newborns and in immunocompromised people, those whose defenses are low. You see white plaques made of cells that have shed from the lining, fibrin, a protein that forms a kind of mesh, and hyphae, the threads of the fungus. The pseudomembrane is a layer sitting on top, like the skin on milk: it wipes off easily when rubbed and reveals reddened mucosa underneath.
In brief
Oral candidiasis is a mouth infection caused by Candida albicans; its most common form, acute pseudomembranous candidiasis, is thrush.
Candida lives in the healthy mouth, kept in check by immunity and normal bacterial flora; if that immunity is disrupted, the fungus overgrows and forms a pseudomembrane.
Thrush occurs mainly in newborns and immunocompromised people and appears as white plaques of shed cells, fibrin and hyphae that wipe off easily when rubbed, leaving reddened mucosa.
The pseudomembrane sits on top like the skin on milk.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingOral Candidiasis, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
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