[Aspects of the children's candidiasis in outpatient practice]

Candidiasis are conditions caused by fungi from Candida genus. The most frequently involved in humans pathology is Candida albicans, which, even if is in balance with endogenous bacterial flora, became pathogenic in certain conditions. The hereby study aims to evaluate retrospectively on a period of 5 years (1999-2003), an group of 101,000 children aged 14 days-18 years, the prevalence of candidiasis, the clinical aspects determined in pediatric population diagnosed and treated in the paediatric offices of the outpatient clinic of "Sf. Spiridon" Hospital, as well as the risk factors of these diseases. From 3806 positive samples for Candida, 2650 (69%) have presented signs of pathogenicity of a significant intensity of colonization. 65% of samples have been observed in female gender, 35% in male gender, 58% of cases from urban areas, 42% from rural environment. The concordance of the lab results having significant values with the manifest clinical symptoms was 85% for the nasal and pharyngeal exudates; 93% for the examination of the stools and 95% for vaginal secretions. The most frequent clinical aspects were oropharyngeal candidiasis (39%), mycotic esopharyngitis (0.4%), enterocolitis (15%), mycotic colitis (22%), vulvovaginitis (25%). The most frequent risk factors for the appearance of candidiasis have been repeated or prolonged antibiotic treatments (90% of cases), diabetes mellitus (0.3% cases), steroid therapy (0.2% cases), deficient hygiene (5% cases), diet rich in carbohydrates (9%). This study confirm that Candida albicans can become pathogenic producing signs and symptoms of disease in certain conditions, the most important factor being prolonged or repeated antibiotic treatment.