What is Candida

So - what is candida? The different names tossed about when folk start discussing Candida can be down right confusing. And to make it worse, not everyone means the same thing when they use the same term!

Candida is the name of a species of fungi (fungi are yeasts) which mostly lives quite happily in the human body without causing any trouble. However, occasionally it multiplies causing a yeast overgrowth.

The usual culprit is Candida albicans (sometimes incorrectly referred to as Candida albican - without the "s") although other members of the Candida clan may be involved.

This candida overgrowth can be localised and cause an infection such as thrush mouth or vaginal yeast infection.

Or it can invade the body and be systemic. This is a much rarer but more serious infection.

The word Candida is the name of the fungi but it is commonly used instead of candidiasis which is the name of the infection.

Is the medical name for vaginal yeast infection. This can also be called vulvovaginal candidiasis, VVC, yeast vaginitis, vaginal thrush or thrush. It is not a serious disease but can be very painful and troublesome to get rid of it. Some women get it frequently.

OPC, thrush, oral thrush, oral yeast and mouth thrush are the names used when this same Candida infects the mouth.

Is when Candida enters the bloodstream and spreads through the body. One type of this invasive candidiasis is called candidemia. Usually, the only people who get this serious type of candida infection are low-birth weight babies, surgical patients and people whose immune systems are depressed (HIV, cancer treatment).

So there you have it. Next times someone askes "what is candida" you're going to be able to tell them!

REFERENCES

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