الفهرس 
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Abstract
The increasing use of corticosteroids, cytotoxic drugs, and antibiotitis in patients whose basic disease process alterstheir resistance to infection has resu— ited in the introduction to the medical community of a relatively new spectrum of infectious diseases.These infections, caused by opportunistic organisms, often create for the physician a dilemma in both diagnosis and treatment.4mong the opportunistic organisms incriminated fungi are frequently encountered, (Hart et al., 1969).
Gastrointestinal fungal infection is being reported more frequently in the compromised patients with the highest incidence in the esophagus, (Prolla and Kirsner, 1964, Ehr]ich et al. 1968, Eras et al. 1972).
‘monq the various forms of gastrointestinal fungal infection the localisation in the esoph&gus is of special significance, because this form is more frequently seen than generally assumed, (Jensen et al. 1964), and because pronounced clinical symptoms are often present ,(Jensen et al. 1964, Holt, 1968). Symptoms such as retrosternal pain which is frequently reported in patients with esophageal moniliasis (Holt, 1968, Kodsi et al’, 1976), may in some, instances, simulate a more serious clinical
condition as myocardial infarction (Shaft and Shargo, 1970). Furthermore the radiologic picture of esophageal moniliasis may be mistaken for esophageal carcinoma (Del— ahunty, 1967, Binder and Nelson, 1975). Lastly it’s a potentially curable clinical disorder that should be quickly recognised to alleviate its so unpleasant symptoms in one hand, and to avoid its serious complications on the other ([-bIt, 1968, Eras et al, 1972).
The objectives of this work were directed toward a study of’ C
i) Symptoms referable to the upper gut in patients with esophageal fungus infection.
(2) Prevalence of fungus infection of the esophagus in the compromised and non—compromised patients.
(3) Value of endoscopy, direct smear, and culture in diagnosis of esophageal fungus infection.