Infectious causes of esophagitis.

In recent years there has been an increasing awareness of infections in the esophagus and their potential to cause considerable morbidity and mortality in both normal subjects and immunocompromised patients. It is important to be cognizant of the pathogens involved, because their treatment is quite different from noninfectious esophagitis, and because inadequate treatment can lead to local complications in the esophagus or to dissemination of the infectious agent, especially in the immunocompromised host. Also, the esophagus is a site where opportunistic infections may present as one of the manifestations of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).