Fungal Infections of the Head and Neck

Abstract

The recognition and management of fungal diseases of the head and neck are rapidly becoming important aspects of the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery. The ever-increasing number of pathologically and pharmacologically immunosuppressed patients will undoubtedly bring about a dramatic increase in the number of patients presenting with such diseases over the next decades. It must always be remembered that fungal diseases of the head, neck, and oral cavity are often a symptom of another, more serious, disease. As more and more of these diseases manifest themselves with head and neck findings as their initial presentation, the oral and maxillofacial surgeon will play a vital role in their detection, diagnosis, and subsequent treatment.