Candidiasis

What is candidiasis?

Candidiasis is an infection caused by Candida fungi, especially Candida albicans. These fungi are found almost everywhere in the environment. Some may live harmlessly along with the abundant "native" species of bacteria that normally colonize the mouth, gastrointestinal tract and vagina. 

Usually, Candida is kept under control by the native bacteria and by the body's immune defenses. If the mix of native bacteria is changed by antibiotics, the body moisture that surrounds native bacteria can also have subtle changes in its acidity or chemistry. This can cause yeast to grow and to stick to surfaces, so that the yeast causes symptoms. Candida infections can cause occasional symptoms in healthy people. If a person's immune system is weakened by illness (especially AIDS or diabetes), malnutrition, or certain medications (corticosteroids or anticancer drugs), Candida fungi can cause symptoms more frequently. Candidiasis can affect many parts of the body, causing localized infections or larger illness, depending on the person and his or her general health.

 

Types of candidiasis include:

• Thrush. Thrush is the common name for a mouth infection caused by the Candida albicans fungus. It affects moist surfaces around the lips, inside the cheeks, and on the tongue and palate. Thrush is common in people with diseases such as cancer and AIDS, which both suppress the immune system. Thrush can develop in people with normal immune systems, too, particularly in people with diabetes or long-lasting irritation from dentures.



• Esophagitis. Candida infections of the mouth can spread to the esophagus, causing esophagitis. This infection is most common in people with AIDS and people receiving chemotherapy for cancer.



• Cutaneous (skin) candidiasis. Candida can cause skin infections, including diaper rash, in areas of skin that receive little ventilation and are unusually moist. Some common sites include the diaper area; the hands of people who routinely wear rubber gloves; the rim of skin at the base of the fingernail, especially for hands that are exposed to moisture; areas around the groin and in the crease of the buttocks; and the skin folds under large breasts.



• Vaginal yeast infections. Vaginal yeast infections are not usually transmitted sexually. During a lifetime, 75% of all women are likely to have at least one vaginal Candida infection, and up to 45% have 2 or more. Women may be more susceptible to vaginal yeast infections if they are pregnant or have diabetes. The use of antibiotics or birth control pills can promote yeast infections. So can frequent douching.



• Deep candidiasis (for example, candida sepsis). In deep candidiasis, Candida fungi contaminate the bloodstream and spread throughout the body, causing severe infection. This is especially common in newborns with very low birth weights and in people with severely weakened immune systems or severe medical problems. In these people, Candida fungi may get into the bloodstream through skin catheters, tracheostomy sites, ventilation tubing, or surgical wounds. Deep candidiasis also can occur in healthy people if Candida fungi enter the blood through intravenous drug abuse, severe burns or wounds caused by trauma.

Candidiasis causes different symptoms, depending on the site of infection.

• Thrush. Thrush causes curdlike white patches inside the mouth, especially on the tongue and palate and around the lips. If you try to scrape off this whitish surface, you will usually find a red, inflamed area, which may bleed slightly. There may be cracked, red, moist areas of skin at the corners of the mouth. Sometimes thrush patches are painful, but often they are not.



• Esophagitis. Candida esophagitis may make swallowing difficult or painful, and it may cause chest pain behind the breastbone (sternum).



• Cutaneous candidiasis. Cutaneous candidiasis causes patches of red, moist, weepy skin, sometimes with small pustules nearby.



• Vaginal yeast infections. Vaginal yeast infections may cause the following symptoms: vaginal itch and/or soreness; a thick vaginal discharge with a texture like soft or cottage cheese; a burning discomfort around the vaginal opening, especially if urine touches the area; and pain or discomfort during sexual intercourse.



• Deep candidiasis. When Candida spreads to the bloodstream, it may cause a wide range of symptoms, from unexplained fever to shock and multiple organ failure.

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask about your medical history, including diabetes, cancer, HIV, and other chronic illnesses. He or she also will ask about your diet and about your recent use of antibiotics or medications that can suppress the immune system. If your doctor suspects cutaneous candidiasis, he or she may ask how you care for your skin and about conditions that expose your skin to excessive moisture, such as using rubber gloves. 

Often, your doctor can diagnose thrush, cutaneous candidiasis, or vaginal yeast infection by a simple physical examination. However, if the diagnosis is uncertain, your doctor may scrape the surface to obtain cells to examine under a microscope or may culture a skin sample to identify fungus (yeast). A culture is especially helpful if you have a yeast infection that returns after treatment. In this case, the culture can help identify whether the yeast is resistant to usual antibiotic treatments. If your doctor suspects that you have an undiagnosed medical illness that increases your risk of candidiasis -- such as diabetes, cancer or HIV -- blood tests or other procedures may be necessary.

To diagnose Candida esophagitis, your doctor will examine your esophagus with an endoscope, a flexible instrument that is inserted into your throat and allows your doctor look at the area directly. During this examination, called endoscopy, your doctor will take a sample of tissue (either a biopsy or a "brushing") from your esophagus to be examined in a laboratory.

To diagnose deep candidiasis, your doctor will draw a sample of blood to be checked in a laboratory for the growth of Candida fungi or other infectious agents.

In otherwise healthy people who have thrush, cutaneous candidiasis, or vaginal yeast infections, Candida infections usually can be eliminated with a short treatment (sometimes a single dose) of antifungal medication. However, in people with AIDS or other diseases that weaken the immune system, Candida infections can be difficult to treat and can return after treatment. In people with weakened immune systems, candidiasis can be life threatening if it passes into the blood and spreads to vital organs. 

Prevention

In general, you can prevent most Candida infections by keeping your skin clean and dry, by using antibiotics only as your doctor directs, and by following a healthy lifestyle, including proper nutrition. People with diabetes should try to keep their blood sugar under tight control. 

Yeast vaginitis 

Yeast infection is a common problem that is seen in women, from all across the globe. However, identification of the exact percent of women, affected by this condition is quite difficult. Many women consult the physician for cures related to this problem.
How is yeast vaginitis caused?
There are several causes of yeast infection being caused:

• Usually, yeast infection occurs when a foreign object comes near the vaginal area. Sometimes, there is an increase in the amount of yeast as well, as compared to the normal bacteria. These events are likely to happen when there is destruction of normal bacteria by drugs or antibiotics, that have a capability to suppress the immune system. Then, there is multiplication of yeast, which would then attack the vaginal tissues, thus resulting into irritation of the vaginal linings.
• It also occurs, when the inner vagina of the woman is damaged. This is a common case for those, who have undergone chemotherapy.
• If douches or vaginal hygiene sprays are used
• Then there is an imbalance in the pH levels of the vagina
• If contraceptive devices such as vaginal sponges, diaphragms, intrauterine devices etc. Are used.

If you have HIV or another cause of recurrent episodes of thrush, then antifungal drugs such as clotrimazole (Lotrimin, Mycelex) can help to minimize flare-ups.

Treatment of candidiasis varies, depending on the area affected:

• Thrush. Doctors treat thrush with topical, antifungal medications such as nystatin (Mycostatin and others) and clotrimazole. For mild cases, a liquid version of nystatin can be swished in the mouth and swallowed, or a clotrimazole lozenge can be dissolved in the mouth. For more severe cases, ketoconazole (Nizoral) or fluconazole (Diflucan) can be taken once a day by mouth.



• Esophagitis. Candida esophagitis is treated with ketoconazole, itraconazole (Sporanox) or fluconazole. (Fluconazole is the most effective medication for people with HIV/AIDS).



• Cutaneous candidiasis. This skin infection can be effectively treated with a variety of antifungal powders and creams. The affected area must be kept clean and dry and protected from chafing.



• Vaginal yeast infections. Vaginal yeast infections can be treated with antifungal medications that are applied directly into the vagina as tablets, creams, ointments or suppositories. These include butoconazole (Femstat), clotrimazole (Gyne-Lotrimin), miconazole (Monistat 3 and others), nystatin (Mycostatin and others), tioconazole (Trosyd) and terconazole (Vagistat-1). A single dose of oral fluconazole can be used, although this treatment is not recommended during pregnancy. Sex partners usually do not need to be treated.



• Deep candidiasis. This infection is usually treated with intravenous amphotericin B (Abelcet) or fluconazole.

Prognosis

Typically, in otherwise healthy people with superficial candidiasis, a properly treated infection goes away without leaving permanent damage. Candidiasis is unlikely to return as long as the person remains healthy and well nourished. In people with chronic illnesses or weakened immune systems, episodes of candidiasis may be more resistant to treatment and may return after treatment ends. In people with deep candidiasis, those who are diagnosed quickly and treated effectively have the best prognosis, especially if their infection can be stopped before it spreads to major organs.

For some time Candidiasis went undiagnosed. Then it seemed anyone who sought out a health professional was told they had Candida. Yes, it is very common, and yes, it is extremely taxing on our bodies, but not everybody has it. 

Candida albicans is a naturally occurring yeast-like fungus in our mouth, oesophagus, throat and genital tract. The problem occurs when the delicate balance of flora is disrupted and the immune system weakened. Then the "bad" bacteria takes over and we have Candida, an imbalance in your gut flora. 

Most often it will affect the mouth, ears, nose, gut and vagina. Both men and women are susceptible and it is advisable that both partners be treated, as it may be passed through sexual contact.

Candidiasis can affect the whole body. This type of Candidiasis is known as Systemic Candidiasis and in extreme cases can travel through the bloodstream affecting all of your organs. This nasty type of Candidiasis is called Candida Septicemia.

It is quite easy to create an imbalance. Antibiotics have been singled out as the main culprit, prescription or recreational drugs, (including the contraceptive pill and corticosteroids). Pregnancy and AIDS will increase your chances of infection.

Symptoms

Fungal infections like "jock itch", tinea (Athlete's Foot), or some rashes. Digestive complaints like bloating, nausea bad breath, malabsorption of nutrients and fatigue. Thrush- either vaginal or at the back of your throat; ringworms; fungus under the fingernails or toenails; food intolerances and environmental sensitivities. Also memory loss, white spots in the mouth; itchy anus, ears or throat; nappy rash; excess mucous, oedema, feeling heavy and sluggish, mental dullness and mood swings.

Foods to Include

• Essential Fatty acids from fish, flaxseed oil and olive oil will protect your cells from damage.
• Garlic reduces infection.
• Yoghurt with live cultures to reduce fungal growth.
• Eat a wholefoods diet, including fish, brown rice, fruit and veggies and legumes, (especially mung beans) and other whole grains.
• Complex Carbohydrates, chewed properly can be helpful, not harmful like once thought.
• Sprouts are wonderful.
• Seaweeds: their iodine content will deactivate yeasts.
• Green plants like parsley, watercress, cabbage, wheatgrass, and spirulina have high amounts of chlorophyll, which promote a healthy intestinal flora.

Foods to Avoid

• Sugar: in all forms as Candida thrives on it.
• Yeast: as Candida is yeast, adding baker's yeast just makes the problem a whole lot worse. (Don’t forget that yeast in is Vegemite and Promite etc). Instead eat sourdough bread, made from spelt or kamut flour.
• Refined carbohydrates: these usually aren’t tolerated anyway. These foods turn very quickly into sugar which Candida thrives on.
• Fermented foods like tempeh, miso, soy sauce and vinegars.
• Fruit. One piece a day should be OK, as fruit is full of fructose (a sugar). Avoid acidic types like oranges, limes, pineapples, grapefruit, lemons and tomatoes.). Dried fruits are a non-no.
• Nuts and seed, unless freshly roasted.

Herbal Medicine

• Pau D'arco is an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial herb as well as being immune boosting. It may be drunk as a tea for maintenance.
• Citrus Seed Extract. This anti-microbial extract works in the same way as an antibiotic. It bombs everything in the gut, good and bad. You have to be quite strong and healthy to do this however, you will have no defence as the good bacterium has been bombed as well. (Try Pau Darco first.) You must be gentle on yourself during this time. No late nights, too much alcohol, going out with wet hair etc., as you will be susceptible to illness. Dose: Take 9 drops of the liquid extract a day. I would advise you purchase a bottle of vegetable capsules from your health food store or chemist and drop the extract in these before taking. This medicine is really very awful. After the two weeks is up, and you will probably not be feeling great in that time, is imperative that you follow with a bottle of acidophilus to re-establish the good gut flora.
• Golden Seal will help repair inflamed intestinal lining.

Supplements

• Acidophilus (non-dairy formula) will help to balance gut flora. I have found that giving it before you have reduced the overgrowth, doesn’t make much difference, as the bad stuff gobbles it up. Try to reduce the Candida before taking acidophilus, unless your case is mild.
• For thrush, try umeboshi plums orally or as a douche, diluted Tea Tree oil topically or in the bath, or a douche of vinegar and water (1:3) or use a douch of Pau D’arco and Garlic tea. A clove of garlic, which has threaded with cotton, may be inserted in the vagina and left overnight for one month is also very helpful.
• Vitamin C for improving immunity.

Lifestyle

• Try and stay cool. Heat and damp environments make it worse.
• The sugars in alcohol will exacerbate the condition. Definitely avoid beer.
• Stress really does make it worse, especially worry and anxiety.
• Apply yoghurt topically to vagina to reduce fungus growth.
• Seek professional advice if you have persistent Candida. It may be a symptom of an underlying illness.
• Check for mercury poisoning. This can lead to Candidiasis.
• Candidiasis is common in those with AIDS.
• Avoid overeating.
• Reduce raw food, as these will weaken digestion.
• Eat simply, avoiding too many flavours in one meal.
• It is very important to re-establish good bacteria in the gut after taking antibiotics. Use miso, sauerkraut, acidophilus, sea veggies or wheat or barley grass. (Remember that animals are fed antibiotics, so if you are eating animal products, the above food should be a regular part of your diet.)
• Exercise regularly and moderately.