Infection is an uncommon cause of
esophagitis among the paediatric population. The main risk factor is
immunodeficiency. In children immunocompromised due HIV infection, certain
endocrine diseases, and corticosteroid or immunosuppressive therapy, Candida
albicans is the most common etiologic agent. The prevalence of Candida
esophagitis has increased because of an improvement in survival and management
of immunological diseases.
Even though it is not frequent in immunocompetent
children, there have been reported cases related with risk factors (Chocarro,2000) such as antibiotic intake (which allow bacterial overgrowth and fungal colonization), proton pump inhibitors (which produce hypochlorhydria allowing
oral bacteria to colonize gastric mucosa, and to increase the risk of
infectious esophagitis), esophageal obstruction (aperistalsis and stasis helps
the fungal overgrowth) and systemic or inhalated corticotherapy (that
suppresses lymphocyte and granulocyte function) (Simon, 1997). Candida
esophagitis has also been reported in healthy patients, with no evidence of
causal mechanism (Alemán, 1996).
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