Pathology · patient case question
Which fungal species is responsible for the redness of the palate?
Patient case: Case: something under the denture
Scenario: A denture wearer reports feeling something beneath the prosthesis and is worried it may be malignant. On examination the palate is diffusely red beneath the denture, and there is a folded, fibrous overgrowth of tissue at the denture border. Four linked questions followed.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Candida albicans
- A. Aspergillus is the second most common oral fungus but causes invasive sinus and pulmonary disease, chiefly in the immunocompromised.
- B. Correct. Candida albicans is the commonest fungal organism of the oral cavity and the cause of denture stomatitis, in which the erythema mirrors the denture outline exactly.
- C. Cryptococcus causes meningitis in immunosuppressed patients and rarely involves the mouth.
- D. Histoplasmosis produces a chronic oral ulcer that can mimic malignancy — a very different presentation.
Note: The erythematous form is far more common than the white pseudomembranous one in denture wearers, and it is easy to overlook because it does not wipe off.