Candida balanitis

Soorbalanitis, Balanitis candidamycetica, Balanoposthitis candidamycetica.

Fungal infection of the glans penis and foreskin caused by Candida spp. 

• Pathogen: Candida spp. (mostly Candida albicans, C. glabrata also occurs)
• An infection with Candida occurs, for example, during sexual intercourse - especially women often have Candida colonisation in the vagina
• Predisposing factors
  • Topical therapy with external steroids or antibiotic ointments.
  • Hygiene (missing or exaggerated)
  • Phimosis
  • Lichen sclerosus et atrophicans
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Immunosuppression

• Initial itching
• Erythematous, pruritic, slightly scaly, weeping maculae
• The erythema then becomes flat and shiny, rich reddish-damp
• Blisters and erosions can also occur
• Similar to thrush stomatitis, there may be white spots which form irregular whitish deposits after some time
• With otherwise adequate hygiene, however, a minimal variant is more likely to be seen, i.e. only redness, but the whitish fungal material is washed or cleaned away

• Medical history (predisposing factors)
• Clinical features
• Myco. smear.
• Stool test for Candida.

• Glans penis
• Foreskin
• Shank left out

In the course of the disease inflammatory swelling of the inner preputial sheet can occur up to the inflammatory phimos and increased purulent secretion due to secondary bacterial infection.

Good hygiene.

Frequent relapses.

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2. Stary A, Soeltz-Szoets J, Ziegler C, Kinghorn GR, Roy RB. Comparison of the efficacy and safety of oral fluconazole and topical clotrimazole in patients with candida balanitis. Genitourin Med 1996;72:98-102.
3. Waugh MA, Evans EG, Nayyar KC, Fong R. Clotrimazole (Canesten) in the treatment of candidal balanitis in men. With incidental observations on diabetic candidal balanoposthitis. Br J Vener Dis 1978;54:184-6.
4. Verma SB, Wollina U. Looking through the cracks of diabetic candidal balanoposthitis! Int J Gen Med 2011;4:511-3.
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7. Braun-Falco`s Dermatologie Venerologie und Allergologie, 6. Auflage
8. Edwards et. al. 2013 European guideline for the management of balanoposthitis. Int J STD AIDS. 2014 Aug;25(9):615-26.