Candida infections in psoriatic patients on anti-IL17 therapy: a case series

Patients with psoriasis may be at higher risk of Candida spp. infection. Interleukin (IL)-17 acts in the prevention of those infections; it is also involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Therefore, anti-IL17 antibodies - which have an established role in the treatment of psoriasis - may be associated with an increased incidence of Candida spp. infection, as it has been suggested in pivotal trials. We report the occurrence of those infections in psoriatic patients receiving secukinumab 300 mg. Sixteen patients, treated with secukinumab 300 mg for one year and documented by mycological examinations, did not present any increase in the occurrence of Candida spp. infection, even asymptomatic. Moreover, two patients after secukinumab treatment became negative for Candida detection without any additional anti-fungal therapy. Although this case series is limited in size, our results may be reassuring on the low risk of Candida infection in psoriatic patients during secukinumab therapy.