Oral lesions in the systemic mycoses

Oral lesions have rarely been reported in systemic mycoses, though over the past few years they have been recorded particularly in immunocompromised individuals. The dramatic increase in numbers of immunocompromised persons, especially those infected with human immunodeficiency virus, has almost certainly been responsible for the increase in reports of oral disease caused by systemic mycoses, particularly aspergillosis, cryptococcosis, and histoplasmosis. However, reports of coccidioidomycosis, blastomycosis, and paracoccidioidomycosis have, as yet, increased little in this population. Dentists, when they observe chronic oral ulceration, chronic maxillary sinus infection, or bizarre mouth lesions (particularly in immunocompromised patients) should be aware of the possibility of a systemic mycosis. Amphotericin remains the standard therapy for most deep mycoses, while the newer azoles are the first-line agents for superficial mycoses, such as candidiasis, and are increasingly used in the deep mycoses.