1Senior Lecturer, Deptt of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, Bhojia Dental College, Baddi, Solan, H.P, India
2Post Graduate Student (Final year MDS), Deptt of Prosthodontics & Implantology, I.T.S. Center for Dental Studies and Research, Muradnagar, Ghaziabad, U.P, India
3Reader, Deptt of Prosthodontics, Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
4Deptt of Oral Medicine & Radiology, Government Dental College, Bangalore, India
5Deptt of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Government Dental College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Online published on 29 August, 2013.
Colonization of the mouth by Candida species has a long recorded history. It belongs to family deuteromycetes, since it lacks a sexual stage. Seven of the Candidal species are recognized as medically important pathogens. C. albicans is the most prevalent yeast isolated from the human body as a commensal or as an opportunistic pathogen. Other Candida species are usually regarded as opportunists. We report a case where a patient suffering from chikuungunia, showed decreased immunity, which allowed the opportunistic infection to grow. Blood counts revealed leucopenia and lymphopenia. The peripheral smear also revealed lymphocytopenia, with the differential lymphocyte count as 8%, among which 95% were identified as atypical lymphocytes. The physical status of patient improved immediately after the patient was treated for candidiasis. Our case highlights the immunocompromised state of the patient which allowed the opportunistic infection to grow.
Candidiasis, Opportunistic, immunocompromised
