Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy to oral candidiasis not responsive to micafungin in a patient undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation

In hematopoietic cell transplants (HCT) patients, opportunistic fungal infections - especially candidiasis - are typical and, due to the immunosuppressed condition, severe and fatal clinical conditions may occur. Many antifungal agents are used for treating candidiasis; however, there are non-responsive, drug-resistant cases in which alternative antimicrobial therapies are strongly needed. The present study aimed to report a clinical case in which antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) was used for extensive oral pseudomembranous candidiasis not responsive to micafungin in a patient undergoing HCT. Thus, 0.01 % methylene blue solution was applied for 3 min onto the infected area, followed by 660-nm laser irradiation. Within 72 h, there was neither a symptom nor a sign of the fungal infection. According to the current case report, aPDT seems to be highly effective for HCT patients presenting oral candidiasis not responsive to micafungin; however, further studies are necessary.

Automated summary

The study reported a clinical case of using antimicrobial photodynamic therapy to successfully treat extensive oral pseudomembranous candidiasis in a patient undergoing HCT. The results indicate that aPDT is highly effective for cases of oral candidiasis not responsive to micafungin.