The Candidial Infection

Candidiasis (or Moniliasis) is the most common fungal (yeast) infection caused by Candida albicans. This fungus is a normal inhabitant of various sites in the body, which are moist and warm, thereby providing perfect conditions for the organism to survive.

The infection is frequently found in pregnant ladies, elderly and diabetics. Males are also infected, though less as compared to females.

Favoured sites for the infection are under the breasts, axilla, groin, inguinal fold and in between the fingers. It never attacks the hair and rarely involves the nail plate. In males, favoured site is the penis.

Candida can cause chronic paronychia (affecting nails). Thrush is the candida infection that involves the buccal mucosa. When it attacks the oesophagus, it is a severe infection.

Perleche is a type of candidiasis that affects the angle of the mouth and is seen in children. However, this is not common.

The characteristic lesion is a curdy white patch. Other features of the lesion include redness, oedema and scaly ‘satellite pustules’. Pruritis and glossitis are also seen. At the periphery of the erosion, the skin gets eroded. Symptoms include itching, burning, and soreness of the involved part. The discharge is grayish white in colour and curdy in consistency.

In females, internal imbalances (hormonal) and external use of detergents may cause the organism to flourish and result in local inflammation. Pregnancy and oral contraceptive use, infertility treatment and hormone replacement therapy also favour the infection.

The infection becomes severe when it occurs in individuals with low immune response as in diabetes mellitus, malignancies, cushing’s syndrome, AIDS or people on some specific drugs (corticosteroids).

Diagnosis includes microscopic examination and culture of the organism.

Treatment is easy and includes prescribing broad-spectrum group of drugs (antimycotics). Only if untreated cases, severe and fatal complications may develop.

To prevent candidiasis, one must maintain good personal hygiene, wear loose comfortable clothes, decrease sugar and alcohol intake and increase dietary intake of garlic, milk and its products.