Candida albicans is a fungus that can cause infections in various parts of your body, including your mouth, esophagus, stomach, heart, skin, vagina, fingers and nails. Normally found in your mucous membranes and skin, it is usually harmless, but will grow in overabundance if the opportunity presents itself. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, eight people out of every 100,000 have candidiasis; that is, an infection caused by Candida.
What It Is
Mucous membranes form the lining of the stomach and intestines, as well as the upper respiratory and female genital tracts. Candida albicans is one of the flora that normally resides in these membranes. While in the membranes, the fungus Candida is in a yeast form; but when it enters tissues, it can form what is referred to as pseudohyphae. Fungi as a group can be yeast in one type of environment and mold in another. Molds are able to grow long filaments called hyphae. Candida albicans cannot grow true hyphae, but the form that it has while inside tissues is long and looks like hyphae; thus, it is called pseudohyphae.
How It Is Transferred
Candida albicans is part of the flora that normally inhabits the mucous membranes and is a normal "resident" of the skin. It can also be transmitted from one person to another, such as between partners during sexual intercourse. It can enter your urinary tract via a catheter, and your bloodstream if you are an intravenous drug user.
Problems
Candida usually will not be able to cause disease if your immune system is working well. It will be able to do so, however, if your immune system has been impaired in some way. If you are suffering from malnutrition, it can cause what is referred to as perleche around the edges and corners of your mouth. It can cause oral thrush in babies who are born prematurely. Thrush can also be seen in people who suffer with AIDS, as well as in some who are taking antibiotics. Seen as white patches in the mouth and on the tongue, thrush will wipe off. Candida can cause esophagitis, which is an infection in your esophagus, as well as gastritis, an infection in your stomach. Both of these infections can be seen if your immune system has been impaired. It can cause endocarditis, an inflammation in the heart, for those who are intravenous drug users. Candida can cause skin infections in moist areas of the skin. And it can infect your fingers and nails if your hands are constantly in water; a potential problem if you have a job as a dishwasher. Candida can also cause vaginal infections, especially in women who are diabetic.
Diagnosis
Due to the characteristics of Candida, if a tissue sample is examined under a microscope, there will be yeasts and pseudohyphae. Other tests can then be done to distinguish Candida albicans from the other species of Candida. Blood tests are not done because they are not helpful.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Candidiasis
- "Introduction to Microbiology"; John Ingraham, Catherine Ingraham; 1995
- "Medical Microbiology & Immunology"; Warren Levinson, MD, PhD, Ernest Jawetz, MD, PhD; 2000
