Oral Candidiasis of COVID-19 Patients Case Report and Review
Oral Candidiasis of COVID-19 Patients Case Report and Review
DOI: 10.1111/jocd.14066
1 | I NTRO D U C TI O N 2 | PATI E NT 1
The immune dysregulation triggered by severe acute respiratory A 70-year-old female patient with a history of geriatric depression, pe-
syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been hy- ripheral neuropathy, urinary incontinence, chronic constipation, and vas-
pothesized as a causal pathway for the increasingly reported oral cular disease had sought a teleconsultation on September 15, 2020, due
manifestations associated with coronavirus diseases (COVID-19), to severe burning sensation and dysphagia. Twenty days earlier, the pa-
especially the ones of fungal origin.1-3 As a result of this, we aim tient started to suffer from diarrhea with no apparent underlying cause;
to report according to the CARE guidelines, three COVID-19 cases therefore, she had been admitted to the hospital after confirming her
who sought teleconsultations from our private practice (Cairo, SARS-CoV-2 infection through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test-
Egypt) from July to September 2020. In addition, we have per- ing. During her 15-day stay at the primary care, the patient was given
formed a literature search in Ovid MEDLINE®, EMBASE, Cochrane azithromycin (Zithromax), levofloxacin (Uniloxam), rivaroxaban (Xarelto),
Library, and Epistemonikos from inception until November 30, and lactoferrin (Pravotin). After her respiratory and gastrointestinal
2020, with a combination of keywords (COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2) symptoms were controlled, the patient was released from the hospital
and oral candidiasis. and sent for home isolation, although her PCR result remained positive.
F I G U R E 1 Oral candidiasis of
(A) (B)
COVID-19 patients (Cairo, Egypt). (A)
White membranous patches spread
over the tongue dorsum, mouth floor,
and soft palate of Case No. 1. (B)
Erythematous candidiasis over the
tongue dorsum of Case No. 2. (C) and (D)
White membranous patches extended
over the soft palate and labial mucosa,
respectively
(C) (D)
Amorim dos Santos 1 Male 67 Coronary disease, systemic hypertension, Confirmed by PCR
et al. 2020; kidney disease, and kidney transplant which
Brasilia (Brazil) led him to take immunosuppressants and
pharmacological prophylaxis.
Baraboutis 2 N/A N/A No risk factors like known immunosuppression Confirmed by PCR
et al. 2020; or recent antimicrobial use.
Athens (Greece)
Cantini et al. 2020; 1 N/A > 50 N/A Confirmed by PCR
Tuscany (Italy)
Salehi et al. 2020; 53 30 Female, 11 (< 50 y), 28 cardiovascular diseases, Confirmed by PCR
Tehran (Iran) 23 Male 42 (≥ 50 y) 20 diabetes mellitus,
11 chronic kidney diseases,
5 hematological malignancies.
Three days after hospital release, the patient started to feel throb- 3 | PATI E NT 2
bing pain related to her tongue and oropharynx. On September 15,
2020, her son sent us images of the recently grown white spots in her A previously healthy 25-year-old female dentist was quarantined
mouth (Figure 1). On examining her intra-oral images, we have found because SARS-CoV-2 conformingly infected some members of her
white membranous patches spread over the tongue dorsum, mouth household. A few days later, the patient started to feel fatigue,
floor, soft palate, oropharynx region, and to a lesser extent the buc- headache, anosmia, and ageusia; therefore, she was instructed
cal mucosa. Her son was instructed to assist telediagnosis by being to follow a medical protocol composed of moxifloxacin, pantopra-
guided to hold a sterile gauze and to scrub her tongue dorsum. The zole (Zurcal), and multivitamins. Two weeks after losing taste and
tongue coating was friable and not bleeding; however, the patient re- smell, the patient had a severe burning sensation, and she imme-
ported bitter taste while eating probably due to bleeding. To manage diately sought a teleconsultation and sent us her intra-oral images
her oral candidal infection, the patient was given a topical antifungal, (Figure 1). The images revealed a typical presentation of erythema-
nystatin (Micostatin), four times/day and a local antibacterial mouth- tous candidiasis over the tongue dorsum. The patient was managed
wash, chlorhexidine 0.2%, twice daily. Alongside the oral symptoms, by topical antifungal only, miconazole (Daktarin Gel) four times/day.
the patient was reported to have got vaginal candidal infection mean- The candida pain has degraded within four days without further
while. Her oral symptoms had resolved completely within ten days. complications.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR |
3
ICU admission, and orotracheal 24 days after hospital Persistent white plaque on the tongue Intravenous fluconazole and
intubation. admission. dorsum. oral nystatin.
Hydroxychloroquine sulfate (HCQ),
ceftriaxone sodium, and azithromycin.
N/A 7–10 days after Unexpected “oral candidiasis.” One N/A
symptoms of them resembled esophageal
emergence. candidiasis.
Baricitinib N/A Oral candidiasis was recorded as an N/A
adverse event for Baricitinib as
COVID−19 medication.
N/A N/A Mild oral candidiasis infection at the level Oral nystatin
of the posterior tongue.
Azithromycin, linezolid, and ceftriaxone A few days after anosmia Multiple medium-sized N/A
and amblygeustia. pseudomembranous structures were
detected with white plaques scattered
over the dorsal surface of the tongue.
49 broad-spectrum antibiotics, 25 Mean interval between In total, 65 Candida isolates causing OPC 21 (fluconazole),
corticosteroids, 26 ICU admission, COVID−19 diagnosis were recovered from 53 patients. C 17 (fluconazole and nystatin),
16 mechanical ventilation and candidiasis albicans (46/65; 70.7%) was the most 13 (nystatin),
emergence was prevalent yeast species. 1 (caspofungin).
8 days (range
1–3 0 days).
The majority are hospitalized and Within one month Pseudomembranous oral candidiasis 39 fluconazole,
treated by HCQ, antibiotics, since COVID−19 related to tongue and oral mucosa, 36 nystatin,
corticosteroids symptoms and oropharyngeal candidiasis 1 caspofungin,
emergence. 4 missed.
4 | PATI E NT 3 miconazole (Daktarin Gel) four times/day. The oral symptoms were
resolved in 7 days.
A 56-year-old female patient with a history of diabetes mellitus type On reviewing the currently growing evidence on oral candidi-
2 and rheumatoid arthritis had sought a teleconsultation due to asis in COVID-19 patients, we have found 63 cases reported in 8
dysphagia and abdominal pain. Seventeen days earlier, the patient studies: 5 case reports, one case-series, one cross-sectional study,
was quarantined because her daughter, a physician, was conform- and one open-label trial.4-11 Fifty-t hree cases (84.1%) were from
ingly infected by SARS-CoV-2 and isolated at home. The patient the Middle East, seven (11.1%) from Europe, two (3.2%) from Latin
started to have a fever, dry cough, and burning sensation in the America, and one (1.6%) from Africa (Table 1). The condition was
nose. Her oxygen saturation had dropped rapidly during the follow- more expressed in female patients (56.7%) than male patients
ing two days; therefore, she was treated with oxygen tanks at home (43.3%). Their mean age was 59.5 years old, with most reported
with close follow-up by her daughter. For 15 days, the patient was cases (73.8%) were above the age of 50 years. While 91.9% of
treated with azithromycin (Zithromax). On the 18th day, the patient's them had comorbidities, including cardiovascular, kidney, autoim-
daughter sent us images for recent white patches inside her mouth mune and hormonal diseases, and malignancies, five cases were
(Figure 1). On examining the intra-oral images, white membranous previously healthy, including three neonates who were tested
patches extended over labial mucosa, and soft palate and tongue positive 10–15 days after delivery. All cases were tested positive
dorsum were found. The patient was managed by both systemic an- for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR, except one case which was confirmed by
tifungal fluconazole (Flucoral), three times/day, and topical antifungal the positivity of the serological test. The vast majority of cases
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4 LETTER TO THE EDITOR
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