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DNA identification of the pathogen of candidal aspiration pneumonia induced in the course of oral cancer therapy

Department of Oral Surgery, Kochi Medical School, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku-city, Kochi 783-8505, Japan

Correspondence Tetsuya Yamamoto yamamott{at}med.kochi-u.ac.jp

Received June 5, 2004
Accepted December 2, 2004

Aspiration of oropharyngeal bacteria and fungi is occasionally suspected in patients with pneumonia. A patient with oral carcinoma underwent chemoradioimmunotherapy and, about 4 weeks from the start of the therapy, the patient suffered from severe oral mucositis induced by chemoradiotherapy, and candidal pneumonia was subsequently induced. The candidal pneumonia was insufficiently improved by potent antifungal drugs, taking a lethal course. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis and DNA sequence examination of strains isolated from the oral cavity 1 week before the onset of pneumonia and autopsied lung revealed the identity of both strains as Candida albicans, and the DNA analysis supported aspiration of oral Candida. These results indicate that the pathogen of the pneumonia, C. albicans, was aspirated from the oral cavity and that oral Candida is easily aspirated and becomes the pathogen of pneumonia.