Oral and Esophageal Candida Infection in a Patient with Chronic Mucocutaneous Candidiasis and White Sponge Nevus

International Clinical and Medical Case Reports Journal Clinical Image (ISSN: 2832-5788) Int Clinc Med Case Rep Jour (ICMCRJ) 2025 | Volume 4 | Issue 11 Oral and Esophageal Candida Infection in a Patient with Chronic Mucocutaneous Candidiasis and White Sponge Nevus Qasim Abbas*, Mohamed A. Alhajajy, Mohamad Alnassar Department of Internal Medicine, GI-unit, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman Citation: Qasim Abbas, Mohamed A. Alhajajy, Mohamad Alnassar. Oral and Esophageal Candida Infection in a Patient with Chronic Mucocutaneous Candidiasis and White Sponge Nevus. Int Clinc Med Case Rep Jour. 2025;4(11):1-2. Received Date: 17 November 2025; Accepted Date: 18 November 2025; Published Date: 19 November 2025 *Corresponding author: Qasim Abbas, Department of Internal Medicine, GI-unit, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman Copyright: © Qasim Abbas, Open Access 2025. This article, published in Int Clinc Med Case Rep Jour (ICMCRJ) (Attribution 4.0 International), as described by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ CASE SUMMARY A 22-year-old woman with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC), white sponge nevus syndrome, and a homozygous KRT14 gene mutation, who was referred to gastroenterology for persistent dysphagia. She has 2 brothers with similar disease. The first image (Figure 1) shows the patient's tongue, which exhibits thick, white plaques characteristic of Candida infection, a hallmark of CMC. These lesions are persistent and recurrent, often found in individuals with an underlying genetic predisposition to chronic mucosal infections. The patient underwent an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) due to her dysphagia. The second image (Figure 2) shows an endoscopic view of the esophagus, revealing diffuse white plaques along the mucosa. These plaques are typical of Candida esophagitis, which is commonly seen in immunocompromised patients or those with underlying genetic conditions like CMC. Histopathology of biopsy samples from the esophagus confirmed Candida esophagitis. Figure 1: Oral Candidiasis in Chronic Mucocutaneous Candidiasis International Clinical and Medical Case Reports Journal Clinical Image (ISSN: 2832-5788) Int Clinc Med Case Rep Jour (ICMCRJ) 2025 | Volume 4 | Issue 11 Figure 2: Endoscopic Appearance of Candida Esophagitis DISCUSSION This case highlights the clinical presentation of chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, with oral and esophageal involvement. The image of the tongue clearly shows the characteristic thick white plaques indicative of candida infection. The endoscopic image (second image (Figure 2)) shows the extent of the infection in the esophagus, which is a common site of candida colonization in patients with CMC. Despite a genetic mutation in the KRT14 gene, typically associated with epidermolysis bullosa simplex, this patient did not exhibit skin fragility, highlighting the variability in clinical presentations of genetic disorders.[1] CONCLUSION Oral and esophageal Candida infections, as demonstrated in the images, are frequently observed in patients with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis. Early diagnosis through clinical examination, endoscopy, and histopathology is crucial for effective antifungal treatment. Genetic testing plays a key role in identifying underlying conditions, especially when there is a family history of similar mucosal disease.[2] REFERENCES 1. Stoler MH, et al. A homozygous mutation in the KRT14 gene in epidermolysis bullosa simplex. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 1992;99(6):759-765. 2. O'Connell PD, et al. Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis in genetically predisposed individuals. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology. 2014;39(3):229-236.