IATROGENIC ORAL CANDIDOSIS

SUMMARY.— Two distinct varieties of iatrogenic oral candidosis can be induced by topical application of drugs. Acute pseudomembranous candidosis developed with topical betamethasone‐17‐valerate, in the presence of significant titres of IgG, IgA and IgM class of Candida antibodies before infection, and without a change in the plasma cortisol level, in 23% of patients. This side effect was not observed with hydrocortisone hemisuccinate and betamethasone disodium phosphate, but was found in 1 of 17 patients using triamcinolone in orabase. Topical tetracycline induced acute atrophic candidosis, in the absence of significant Candida antibody levels before infection, in 64% of patients. In acute pseudomembranous candidosis there was a further rise in titre of IgG and IgA type of Candida antibodies, but predominantly IgG class of antibodies rose to low levels during the acute atrophic infection.