Esophageal Fungus: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Fungus growth in the esophagus can be a root cause of esophagitis, or infection of the esophagus tissue.

Candida Albicans

• Candida albicans, most commonly referred to as a yeast infection, is the most common form of fungus growth in the esophagus. It lives naturally in the stomach, mouth and gastrointestinal tract, but leads to infection if spores build up in the esophagus.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of fungal buildup include painful swallowing, pain behind the breast bone, a sensation of something sticking in the chest and nausea.

Risk Factors

• Those with weakened immune systems due to HIV/AIDS complications and those who take antibiotics or immune-suppressing drugs are more susceptible to fungus buildup in the esophagus.

Treatment

• Candida fungus in the esophagus is treated with anti-fungal swish and swallow liquids, or lozenges. Advanced cases are treated with anti-fungal drugs injected orally or intravenously.

Diagnosis

• Esophagus fungus is diagnosed using an endoscope, or tiny esophageal camera, and taking a biopsy, or sample, of the tissue. Barium ingestion also allows x-rays to show buildup in the esophagus.