Case report - giant duodenal ulcer with Candida infection in a relatively healthy child

INTRODUCTION: Duodenal candidiasis in an immunocompetent individual, particularly in a child, is extremely rare. Since the clinical presentation and pathological findings of fungal infections in the gut can be non-specific, it is essential to consider fungal infections as a possible cause of gastrointestinal ulcers, even in immunocompetent individuals without a history of chronic use of antacids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or antibiotics. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a rare case of a giant duodenal ulcer complicated by Candida infection in an otherwise healthy 10-year-and-7-month-old boy, who had experienced intermittent right upper abdominal pain for two years. He was successfully treated with medical therapy, resulting in complete resolution of both symptoms and the duodenal ulcer on follow-up. CONCLUSION: Early detection and treatment of fungal infections are essential to prevent invasive candidiasis, which carries a high mortality rate, especially in children. We report this rare and noteworthy case of duodenal candidiasis to document and share with the medical community, as it may offer valuable insights into potential factors or conditions that could predispose otherwise healthy individuals to such infections.