title: Infectious esophagitis and the primary care physician.
abstract: The various clinical presentations of infectious esophagitis have been discussed. The physician approach to patients with suspected infectious esophagitis is based on whether the patient has an underlying immune problem. Symptomatic patients with thrush and AIDS should be empirically treated but most other patients should be referred to endoscopy. Considering the AIDS epidemic, any patient without known immune deficiency who is diagnosed with infectious esophagitis should be screened for an immunodeficiency disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425-3302.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Schlidt
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Hoffman
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000212:Acyclovir