Chemotherapy for Leukemia

# A patient receiving chemotherapy for leukemia is highly susceptible to develop which oral infection?
A. Candidiasis
B. Actinomycosis
C Histoplasmosis
D. Coccidioidomycosis
E. Blastomycosis

The correct answer is A. Candidiasis. 

Immunocompromised patients are more susceptible to candidiasis, the fungal infection caused by Candida albicans. A patient with leukemia has lower than normal functioning leukocytes. This, coupled with chemotherapy which aims to

reduce the number of abnormal leukocytees, leaves the patient in a very

immunosuppressed state. 

Other examples of cases where a patient

would be susceptible to candidiasis include

patients taking antibiotics for a extended

periods or patients infected with HIV.