Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Non-superficial Cutaneous Manifestations by Candida Species

  • Published:
Current Fungal Infection Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To define adequate terminology regarding non-superficial or deep cutaneous manifestations of infection by Candida, as well as to describe the most common causal species, clinical manifestations, and treatment options.

Recent Findings

The prevalence and clinical significance of non-albicans Candida species have been increasing. Research has better characterized these emerging fungi.

Summary

Candidiasis ranges from superficial mucocutaneous infections to invasive manifestations, including candidemia and organ involvement. Invasive candidiasis (IC) includes candidemia (Candida in the bloodstream) and deep-seated candidiasis. Risk factors for IC include immunosuppression, critical illness, broad-spectrum antibiotic use, and skin barrier disruptions. Although C. albicans remains the most common species in IC, other species, such as C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, and C. auris, are becoming more prevalent. C. tropicalis is the most commonly isolated species in deep candida infections. Clinical presentations range from ecthyma gangrenosum-like lesions to ulcers, necrosis, and purpura fulminans. This review emphasizes the importance of a high index of suspicion for these infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients. Skin biopsy aids in timely diagnosis and treatment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

No datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

  1. Pappas PG, Lionakis MS, Arendrup MC, Ostrosky-Zeichner L, Kullberg BJ. Invasive candidiasis. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2018;4:18026. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrdp.2018.26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. •• Fang W, Wu J, Cheng M, Zhu X, Du M, Chen C, Liao W, Zhi K, Pan W. Diagnosis of invasive fungal infections: challenges and recent developments. J Biomed Sci. 2023;30(1):42. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12929-023-00926-2. An up-to-date review on diagnostic approaches for invasive mycoses and the mechanisms of antifungal resistance.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. • McCarty TP, White CM, Pappas PG. Candidemia and invasive candidiasis. Infect Dis Clin N Am. 2021;35(2):389–413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idc.2021.03.007. A comprehensive review of the primary Candida species that play a significant role in the development of candidemia and invasive candidiasis.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. •• Oliva A, De Rosa FG, Mikulska M, Pea F, Sanguinetti M, Tascini C, Venditti M. Invasive Candida infection: epidemiology, clinical and therapeutic aspects of an evolving disease and the role of rezafungin. Expert Rev Anti-Infect Ther. 2023;21(9):957–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/14787210.2023.2240956. A recent review on invasive candidiasis epidemiology and razafungin, a novel echinocandin.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Kullberg BJ, Arendrup MC. Invasive candidiasis. N Engl J Med. 2015;373(15):1445–56. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra1315399.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. McCarty TP, Pappas PG. Invasive candidiasis. Infect Dis Clin N Am. 2016;30(1):103–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idc.2015.10.013.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Clancy CJ, Nguyen MH. Finding the “missing 50%” of invasive candidiasis: how nonculture diagnostics will improve understanding of disease spectrum and transform patient care. Clin Infect Dis. 2013;56(9):1284–92. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/cit006.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Fang SY, Wei KC, Chen WC, Lee SJ, Yang KC, Wu CS, Sun PL. Primary deep cutaneous candidiasis caused by Candida duobushaemulonii in a 68-year-old man: the first case report and literature review. Mycoses. 2016;59(12):818–21. https://doi.org/10.1111/myc.12540.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Barantsevich N, Barantsevich E. Diagnosis and treatment of invasive candidiasis. Antibiotics (Basel). 2022;11(6):718. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11060718.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Oberoi JK, Wattal C, Goel N, Raveendran R, Datta S, Prasad K. Non-albicans Candida species in blood stream infections in a tertiary care hospital at New Delhi, India. Indian J Med Res. 2012;136(6):997–1003.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Nurdin RSC, Vitayani S, Amin S, Kadir D, Djamaluddin W, Adriani A. Cutaneous candidiasis caused by Candida kefyr. Pan Afr Med J. 2021;38:178. https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2021.38.178.28054.

  12. Leroy O, Gangneux JP, Montravers P, Mira JP, Gouin F, Sollet JP, Carlet J, Reynes J, Rosenheim M, Regnier B, Lortholary O, AmarCand Study Group. Epidemiology, management, and risk factors for death of invasive Candida infections in critical care: a multicenter, prospective, observational study in France (2005-2006). Crit Care Med. 2009;37(5):1612–8. https://doi.org/10.1097/CCM.0b013e31819efac0.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Bae GY, Lee HW, Chang SE, Moon KC, Lee MW, Choi JH, Koh JK. Clinicopathologic review of 19 patients with systemic candidiasis with skin lesions. Int J Dermatol. 2005;44(7):550–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-4632.2004.02006.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Marak MB, Dhanashree B. Antifungal susceptibility and biofilm production of Candida spp. isolated from clinical samples. Int. J Microbiol. 2018;2018:7495218. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/7495218.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Rodríguez-Cerdeira C, Gregorio MC, Molares-Vila A, López-Barcenas A, Fabbrocini G, Bardhi B, Sinani A, Sánchez-Blanco E, Arenas-Guzmán R, Hernandez-Castro R. Biofilms and vulvovaginal candidiasis. Colloids Surf B: Biointerfaces. 2019;174:110–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2018.11.011.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Chai LY, Denning DW, Warn P. Candida tropicalis in human disease. Crit Rev Microbiol. 2010;36(4):282–98. https://doi.org/10.3109/1040841X.2010.489506.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Oksuz S, Sahin I, Yildirim M, Gulcan A, Yavuz T, Kaya D, Koc AN. Phospholipase and proteinase activities in different Candida species isolated from anatomically distinct sites of healthy adults. Jpn J Infect Dis. 2007;60(5):280–3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Leung AY, Chim CS, Ho PL, Cheng VC, Yuen KY, Lie AK, Au WY, Liang R, Kwong YL. Candida tropicalis fungaemia in adult patients with haematological malignancies: clinical features and risk factors. J Hosp Infect. 2002;50(4):316–9. https://doi.org/10.1053/jhin.2002.1194.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Frías-De-León MG, Hernández-Castro R, Vite-Garín T, Arenas R, Bonifaz A, Castañón-Olivares L, Acosta-Altamirano G, Martínez-Herrera E. Antifungal resistance in Candida auris: molecular determinants. Antibiotics (Basel). 2020;9(9):568. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics9090568.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. •• Tharp B, Zheng R, Bryak G, Litvintseva AP, Hayden MK, Chowdhary A, Thangamani S. Role of microbiota in the skin colonization of Candida auris. mSphere. 2023;8(1):e0062322. https://doi.org/10.1128/msphere.00623-22. A recent review focuses on C. auris as an emerging pathogen in the context of invasive candidiasis.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Gow NA, van de Veerdonk FL, Brown AJ, Netea MG. Candida albicans morphogenesis and host defence: discriminating invasion from colonization. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2011;10(2):112–22. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro2711.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Shields BE, Rosenbach M, Brown-Joel Z, Berger AP, Ford BA, Wanat KA. Angioinvasive fungal infections impacting the skin: background, epidemiology, and clinical presentation. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2019;80(4):869–880.e5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2018.04.059.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Kim MS, Lee SM, Sung HS, Won CH, Chang S, Lee MW, Choi JH, Moon KC. Clinical analysis of deep cutaneous mycoses: a 12-year experience at a single institution. Mycoses. 2012;55(6):501–6. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0507.2012.02191.x.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Milner JD, Brenchley JM, Laurence A, Freeman AF, Hill BJ, Elias KM, Kanno Y, Spalding C, Elloumi HZ, Paulson ML, Davis J, Hsu A, Asher AI, O'Shea J, Holland SM, Paul WE, Douek DC. Impaired T(H)17 cell differentiation in subjects with autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome. Nature. 2008;452(7188):773–6. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06764.

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Lanternier F, Cypowyj S, Picard C, Bustamante J, Lortholary O, Casanova JL, Puel A. Primary immunodeficiencies underlying fungal infections. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2013;25(6):736–47. https://doi.org/10.1097/MOP.0000000000000031.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Lanternier F, Pathan S, Vincent QB, Liu L, Cypowyj S, Prando C, Migaud M, Taibi L, Ammar-Khodja A, Stambouli OB, Guellil B, Jacobs F, Goffard JC, Schepers K, Del Marmol V, Boussofara L, Denguezli M, Larif M, Bachelez H, et al. Deep dermatophytosis and inherited CARD9 deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2013;369(18):1704–14. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1208487.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Rouzaud C, Hay R, Chosidow O, Dupin N, Puel A, Lortholary O, Lanternier F. Severe dermatophytosis and acquired or innate immunodeficiency: a review. J Fungi (Basel). 2015;2(1):4. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof2010004.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Ferwerda B, Ferwerda G, Plantinga TS, Willment JA, van Spriel AB, Venselaar H, Elbers CC, Johnson MD, Cambi A, Huysamen C, Jacobs L, Jansen T, Verheijen K, Masthoff L, Morré SA, Vriend G, Williams DL, Perfect JR, Joosten LA, et al. Human dectin-1 deficiency and mucocutaneous fungal infections. N Engl J Med. 2009;361(18):1760–7. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa0901053.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Lewis RE, Cahyame-Zuniga L, Leventakos K, Chamilos G, Ben-Ami R, Tamboli P, Tarrand J, Bodey GP, Luna M, Kontoyiannis DP. Epidemiology and sites of involvement of invasive fungal infections in patients with haematological malignancies: a 20-year autopsy study. Mycoses. 2013;56(6):638–45. https://doi.org/10.1111/myc.12081.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Ishikawa H, Yamaguchi Y, Nakajima Y, Miyazaki T, Wada H, Aihara M. Case of widespread purpura due to emboli of Candida parapsilosis. J Dermatol. 2016;43(2):216–7. https://doi.org/10.1111/1346-8138.13177.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Pedraz J, Delgado-Jiménez Y, Pérez-Gala S, Nam-Cha S, Fernández-Herrera J, García-Diez A. Cutaneous expression of systemic candidiasis. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2009;34(1):106–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2230.2007.02524.x.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Beasley K, Panach K, Dominguez AR. Disseminated Candida tropicalis presenting with ecthyma-gangrenosum-like lesions. Dermatol Online J. 2016;22(1) 13030/qt7vg4n68j. https://doi.org/10.5070/D3221029790

  33. • Santarelli IM, Brest A, Juri PJ, Grinspun M, Fernández SI. Lesiones cutáneas asociadas a candidiasis invasiva en un paciente neutropénico con leucemia mieloide aguda [Skin lesions associated with invasive candidiasis in a neutropenic patient with acute myeloid leukemia]. Rev Fac Cien Med Univ Nac Cordoba. 2023;80(2):158–9. https://doi.org/10.31053/1853.0605.v80.n2.38723. One of the latest papers discussing non-superficial cutaneous manifestations in invasive candidiasis.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Xi L, Li X, Zhang J, Lu C, Xie T, Yin R. Good response in a patient with deep-seated subcutaneous ulcer due to Candida species. Mycopathologia. 2007;164(2):77–80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-007-9030-y.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Galimberti RL, Flores V, Gonzalez Ramos MC, Villalba LI. Cutaneous ulcers due to Candida albicans in an immunocompromised patient--response to therapy with itraconazole. Clin Exp Dermatol. 1989;14(4):295–7. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2230.1989.tb01984.x.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. • Caballero JC, Askari E, Carrasco N, Piris MA, Perez de Camino B, Pardo L, Cornago J, Lopez-Lorenzo JL, Llamas P, Solan L. Invasive cutaneous candidiasis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia and pancytopenia: a challenging scenario for Waldenström macroglobulinemia in an elderly patient. Biomedicines. 2023;11(4):1007. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11041007. This case illustrates an extensive ulcerous presentation of deep cutaneous candidiasis.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  37. Silverman RA, Rhodes AR, Dennehy PH. Disseminated intravascular coagulation and purpura fulminans in a patient with Candida sepsis. Biopsy of purpura fulminans as an aid to diagnosis of systemic Candida infection. Am J Med. 1986;80(4):679–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(86)90824-7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Ginter G, Rieger E, Soyer HP, Hoedl S. Granulomatous panniculitis caused by Candida albicans: a case presenting with multiple leg ulcers. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1993;28(2 Pt 2):315–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/0190-9622(93)70044-t.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Cortez JL, Tan SY, Abelman R, Chin-Hong P, McCalmont TH, Fox L, Haemel A. Deep cutaneous candidiasis of the lip in a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia. JAAD Case Rep. 2022;27:32–4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdcr.2022.06.039.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Sharon V, Eisen DB, Fung MA. Cutaneous septic emboli from Candida tropicalis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2010;10(9):652. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(10)70119-5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Clancy CJ, Nguyen MH. Diagnosing invasive candidiasis. J Clin Microbiol. 2018;56(5):e01909–17. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.01909-17.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  42. . Pappas PG, Kauffman CA, Andes DR, Clancy CJ, Marr KA, Ostrosky-Zeichner L, Reboli AC, Schuster MG, Vazquez JA, Walsh TJ, Zaoutis TE, Sobel JD. Clinical practice guideline for the management of candidiasis: 2016 update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis. 2016;62(4):e1–50. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/civ933. The latest update from the IDSA on the treatment of invasive candidiasis

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Ellepola AN, Morrison CJ. Laboratory diagnosis of invasive candidiasis. J Microbiol. 2005;43 Spec No:65-84

  44. Mikulska M, Calandra T, Sanguinetti M, Poulain D, Viscoli C, Third European Conference on Infections in Leukemia Group. The use of mannan antigen and anti-mannan antibodies in the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis: recommendations from the Third European Conference on Infections in Leukemia. Crit Care. 2010;14(6):R222. https://doi.org/10.1186/cc9365.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  45. Karageorgopoulos DE, Vouloumanou EK, Ntziora F, Michalopoulos A, Rafailidis PI, Falagas ME. β-D-glucan assay for the diagnosis of invasive fungal infections: a meta-analysis. Clin Infect Dis. 2011;52(6):750–70. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciq206.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. . Guarana M, Nucci M. Acute disseminated candidiasis with skin lesions: a systematic review. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2018;24(3):246–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2017.08.016. A systematic review of patients with invasive candidiasis and cutaneous lesions.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Whaley SG, Berkow EL, Rybak JM, Nishimoto AT, Barker KS, Rogers PD. Azole antifungal resistance in Candida albicans and emerging non-albicans Candida species. Front Microbiol. 2017;7:2173. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.02173.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  48. Ham YY, Lewis JS 2nd, Thompson GR 3rd. Rezafungin: a novel antifungal for the treatment of invasive candidiasis. Future Microbiol. 2021;16(1):27–36. https://doi.org/10.2217/fmb-2020-0217.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Desnos-Ollivier M, Bretagne S, Raoux D, Hoinard D, Dromer F. Dannaoui E; European Committee on Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing. Mutations in the fks1 gene in Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. krusei correlate with elevated caspofungin MICs uncovered in AM3 medium using the method of the European Committee on Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2008;52(9):3092–8. https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.00088-08.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  50. . Paiva JA, Pereira JM. Treatment of invasive candidiasis in the era of Candida resistance. Curr Opin Crit Care. 2023;29(5):457–62. https://doi.org/10.1097/MCC.0000000000001077. This paper explores both the mechanisms of action of antifungal drugs and the mechanisms of resistance to them.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Garey KW, Rege M, Pai MP, Mingo DE, Suda KJ, Turpin RS, Bearden DT. Time to initiation of fluconazole therapy impacts mortality in patients with candidemia: a multi-institutional study. Clin Infect Dis. 2006;43(1):25–31.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. . Gonzalez-Lara MF, Ostrosky-Zeichner L. Invasive candidiasis. Semin Respir Crit Care Med. 2020;41(1):3–12. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0040-1701215. This article underscores the importance of employing step-down therapy when antifungal susceptibility is available.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. . Lamoth F. Novel therapeutic approaches to invasive candidiasis: considerations for the clinician. Infect Drug Resist. 2023;16:1087–97. https://doi.org/10.2147/IDR.S375625. A recent systematic review about novel antifungal agents for the treatment of invasive candidiasis.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  54. Pristov KE, Ghannoum MA. Resistance of Candida to azoles and echinocandins worldwide. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2019;25(7):792–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2019.03.028.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Perlin DS, Rautemaa-Richardson R, Alastruey-Izquierdo A. The global problem of antifungal resistance: prevalence, mechanisms, and management. Lancet Infect Dis. 2017;17(12):e383–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(17)30316-X.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Arendrup MC, Patterson TF. Multidrug-resistant Candida: epidemiology, molecular mechanisms, and treatment. J Infect Dis. 2017;216(suppl_3):S445–51. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jix131.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. . Arastehfar A, Daneshnia F, Hafez A, Khodavaisy S, Najafzadeh MJ, Charsizadeh A, Zarrinfar H, Salehi M, Shahrabadi ZZ, Sasani E, Zomorodian K, Pan W, Hagen F, Ilkit M, Kostrzewa M, Boekhout T. Antifungal susceptibility, genotyping, resistance mechanism, and clinical profile of Candida tropicalis blood isolates. Med Mycol. 2020;58(6):766–73. https://doi.org/10.1093/mmy/myz124. This review provides insights into the resistance mechanisms exhibited by C. tropicalis and also assesses its susceptibility to antifungal agents.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

GF and SB wrote the main manuscript. MG, AB, AB, and JD helped review the manuscript and provided additional information. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Judith Domínguez-Cherit.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Figueroa-Ramos, G., Bermúdez-Rodríguez, S.P., Gatica-Torres, M. et al. Non-superficial Cutaneous Manifestations by Candida Species. Curr Fungal Infect Rep 18, 51–59 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12281-024-00485-5

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12281-024-00485-5

Keywords

Navigation