Gastric Fungal Disease

　　1. Etiology

　　The main pathogenic fungi that can cause gastric mycosis are Candida albicans and Aspergillus, while Actinomycetes are relatively rare. According to Bearse (1936), local blood circulation disorders of the gastric mucosa or decreased immunity may be the basis for the occurrence of mycosis.

　　2. Pathogenesis

　　Initially, a white throat-like pseudomembrane often forms on the gastric mucosa, and then it develops into an ulcer. Sometimes, thrombosis of the submucosal blood vessels can occur. Ulcers can be single or multiple, sometimes very small, and sometimes they may involve the entire gastric wall, but generally they do not lead to perforation. Fungi are often found in the necrotic tissue on the lesions, and sulfur granules can be seen if it is actinomycosis infection.

　　Gastric hemorrhage: bleeding after the vessel is damaged and broken, leading to hematemesis and black stools. Generally, the pain increases before bleeding, and the pain decreases after bleeding. Massive bleeding refers to a large amount of bleeding in the digestive tract in a short period of time, accompanied by an increased pulse, decreased blood pressure, and decreased hemoglobin level, which requires blood transfusion treatment. The ulcer penetrates deeply, piercing the serous membrane layer and communicating with the peritoneal cavity, causing the contents of the stomach and duodenum to flow into the peritoneal cavity, resulting in acute peritonitis, known as acute perforation. It is common in the ulcer perforation of the anterior wall of the duodenal bulb, which is a serious complication. The patient may die of peritonitis and sepsis.

　　The clinical manifestations are non-specific, and they can be similar to gastritis, gastric ulcer, or tumor, making it difficult to distinguish. X-ray examination cannot help in diagnosis. Although a large number of fungi can often be found in the vomit and gastric contents, because gastric mycosis is so rare, and there is a high chance of finding fungi in the gastric contents, the mere discovery of fungi cannot be considered as gastric mycosis. All the gastric mycosis reported in the literature have not been diagnosed correctly. The final diagnosis can only rely on surgery or biopsy.

　　Dietary principles for gastric mycosis: Pay attention to the following 11 principles:

　　1. Eat less fried foods:Because these foods are not easy to digest, they will increase the burden on the digestive tract, and eating too much can cause indigestion. It will also increase blood lipids, which is not good for health.

　　2. Eat less preserved foods:These foods contain a lot of salt and some carcinogens, which are not suitable for eating in large quantities.

　　3. Eat less cold and spicy foods:Cold and spicy foods have a strong stimulating effect on the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, which is easy to cause diarrhea or inflammation of the digestive tract.

　　4. Regular Diet:Research shows that regular meals, with a fixed time and amount, can form a conditioned reflex, which is beneficial for the secretion of digestive glands and more conducive to digestion.

　　5. Regular and quantitative meals:It is necessary to control the amount of food per meal, to have three meals a day at regular times, and to take the initiative to eat at the designated time, regardless of whether you are hungry or not, to avoid being too hungry or too full.

　　6. Appropriate temperature:The temperature of food should be 'not too hot, not too cold'.

　　7. Chew slowly and carefully:This can reduce the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. The more times you chew food, the more saliva you will secrete, which has a protective effect on the gastric mucosa.

　　8. Choose the right time to drink water:The best time to drink water is in the morning on an empty stomach and one hour before each meal. Drinking water immediately after meals will dilute the gastric juice, and using soup to cook rice will also affect the digestion of food.

　　9. Pay attention to keeping warm:After the stomach is cooled, it will damage the function of the stomach, so attention should be paid to keeping the stomach warm and not catching a cold.

　　Although a large number of fungi can often be found in vomit and gastric contents, because gastric mycosis is so rare, and there is a high chance of finding fungi in gastric contents, the mere discovery of fungi cannot be considered as gastric mycosis. All the reported gastric mycosis in literature have not been able to have a correct clinical diagnosis, and the final diagnosis can only rely on surgery or biopsy. Histopathological examination of living tissue is the basis for diagnosing the disease. The slices show the presence of pseudomembranes, and hyphae can be found under the microscope. The blood leukocyte count is moderately elevated, and spores and hyphae can be found in the smear of the white membranous material of the mucosa. A positive diagnosis of systemic candidiasis requires a positive blood, gastric endoscopy biopsy, sputum, or bronchial lavage fluid culture.

　　What foods are good for the body when suffering from gastric mycosis:

　　High-Protein Diet:A high-protein diet is essential for maintaining healthy nails, and egg yolks are a good source of protein. Oats, nuts, seeds, grains, and dairy products are rich in plant protein. Eat more vegetables and fruits: fruits and vegetables should account for 50% of daily diet. Supplement nutrients.

　　It is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis before surgery, and it is also difficult to determine the efficacy of non-surgical therapy. Bearse once believed that: because iodides are effective against gastric mycosis, large doses of iodides can also be tried for suspected gastric mycosis patients. With the great development of antifungal drugs, the treatment of gastric mycosis has completely changed. Those who bleed or perforate due to fungal disease should undergo immediate surgical treatment.