Candida Information and Treatment
Candida is a yeast-like fungus that causes superficial infections of the mucus membranes, such as vaginal yeast infections. The name 'candida' refers to the white colour of the organisms in culture. Candidal infection is known as 'candidiasis', 'candidosis' or 'moniliasis'. The fungus also can travel through the blood stream and affect the throat, intestines, and heart valves. It can cause more serious, systemic infection when a person's immune system is compromised by diseases such as cancer and AIDS. Candida infection is more common following antibiotic use, which can kill off the bacteria that normally live on mucus membranes, and otherwise inhibit overgrowth by candida. Candida albicans is the candida species most likely to cause candida infection. Candida a normal resident of the human gastrointestinal(GI) tract.
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