University of Basra Organizes a Course on Oral Candidiasis

The Center for Marine Sciences at the University of Basra organized a course titled “Medical Mycology: Oral Candidiasis”

The course aimed to enable participants to distinguish between normal and fungal conditions of the mouth, diagnose oral candidiasis with clinical and laboratory accuracy, and prescribe appropriate treatment while managing predisposing factors (such as immunodeficiency and antibiotic use).

The course, presented by Dr. Reham Mohammed Mustafa and Dr. Wesal Ouda Hassan, covered the causative agent of oral candidiasis, including an introduction to Candida albicans (and other common species), its life cycle, and its pathogenic mechanisms (adhesion, pseudohyphae formation, enzyme production), along with its risk factors for infants, the elderly, immunocompromised patients (AIDS, cancer, diabetes), and users of inhaled corticosteroids or broad-spectrum antibiotics. The session also covered the clinical manifestations of this disease, including the membranous form (thrush), the atrophic form (erythema), hyperplastic, angular stomatitis, and denture-associated stomatitis, as well as diagnostic methods including clinical examination (white, scrapable patches), direct microscopic examination (yeasts and fungi), culture on Sabouraud or CHROMagar media, and, rarely, biopsy.

The researcher also discussed treatment and management methods for the disease using topical antifungals (nystatin, miconazole, clotrimazole) and systemic antifungals (fluconazole in resistant or generalized cases), with an emphasis on improving oral hygiene and addressing the causative factors.