Oral viral, fungal, and bacterial infections linked to comorbidities: A case series from a Brazilian referral center.

Background: Oral infections exhibit variability in their causative agents and clinical presentations, underscoring the necessity of accurate diagnosis for effective management. Despite extensive documentation globally, data on these infections from Brazil remain scarce. This study aimed to assess the occurrence, clinical features, and differential diagnosis of oral viral, fungal, and bacterial infections at a single center in southern Brazil.

Material and methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted between 2010 and 2023. Clinicodemographic data, comorbidities, and routine medication use were analyzed descriptively and statistically.

Results: A total of 462 cases were included. The median age was 49.5 years (range: 2-100). Viral infections were the most frequent (65.8%), with squamous papilloma accounting for 49.4% of cases. Fungal infections comprised 29.4% of cases, predominantly erythematous candidiasis (20.8%) and pseudomembranous candidiasis (5.6%). These infections were more common in women, older adults (p<0.001), and individuals with comorbidities such as systemic arterial hypertension (p=0.006) and diabetes mellitus (p=0.028). Bacterial infections were rare (4.8%), with actinomycosis being the most frequent (2.2%).

Conclusions: Data from our series on oral viral, fungal, and bacterial infections align with the literature. The results emphasize the importance of tailored diagnostic approaches, particularly for at-risk patient populations. Key words:Bacterial infections, Communicable diseases, Mycoses, Oral manifestations, Virus diseases.