The role of Candida sp. in etiopathogenesis of esophageal, gastric and duodenal mucosa inflammation in children.

The aim of the study was to demonstrate morphological traits of Candida-induced upper alimentary tract mucosa inflammation. The material for the study comprised 18 children aged 4 to 18 years treated at the I Department of Paediatrics and Gastroenterology, Institute Polish Mother Health Centre. In these children positive mycologic cultures were obtained from alimentary tract inflammed mucosa sections. Upper alimentary tract endoscopy was performed and macroscopic and microscopic evaluation was made. Children with excluded H. pylori infection, reflux disease, lambliosis and allergy were included into the investigated group. Savara-Muller’s classification was used for oesophageal mucosa inflammation evaluation, whereas gastric and duodenal mucosa inflammation were assessed according to Tytgat. Results: the most frequent macro lesions concerned simultaneously gastric and duodenal mucosa (44.46%). 27.77% of patients demonstrated oesophagitis, gastritis and duodenitis. In histopathological examination inflammatory lesions in oesophageal mucosa were observed in 38.88% (most frequently I degree). Chronic gastritis was found in all children, non-active in 11 and active in 7. Duodenal mucosa demonstrated traits of chronic active inflammation in 8 children and chronic in 5 of them. Conclusions: Candida fungi may be an etiopathogenetic factor of oesophageal, gastric and duodenal mucosa inflammation, Candida-induced mucosa inflammation is most frequently of chronic nature