Candidiasis- Its Causes and Treatments

The human body serves as a host to multiple numbers of micro organisms like fungus and bacteria. But not all are harmful to the body. There are beneficial microorganisms as well and some that have no function at all. But some can really cause you to suffer for example the Candida albicans. This is a type of Candida Fungus amongst the vast number of fungus which comes under the Candida species. When these group of microscopic fungi or yeast causes infection in ones body, the condition is known as Candidiasis.

This fungus generally inhabits the skin surface including nails, hair. Candidiasis is a very common form of fungal infection that affects a lot of people. Candidiasis can occur in most of your body part or exposed skin. However moist and damp environment is a favorable condition for these microorganisms where they thrive and grow. Therefore Candidiasis occurs more frequently in the mouth and other moist regions such as the vagina in case of a woman. Dark regions are more prone to the attack of Candidiasis and therefore folds of skin or creases such as the armpits and the genital area in case of both men and women are hugely affected.

One very common example could be babies. Babies suffer from diaper rash. These rashes are generally a form of Candidiasis. The warm, dark and moist condition of the diaper is great for these fungi to grow and multiply. Diabetic patients and people suffering from obesity have been found to be highly affected Candidiasis. Any sort of medication such as the antibiotics or oral contraceptive pills can accentuate the risk of developing Candidiasis. Candidiasis might also occur in the corners of the mouth or as nail infections.

The Candidiasis of the mouth is termed as Oral thrush and is related to the intake of any sort of medication in an oral form.

Is candidiasis contagious?

Candidiasis is not really contagious. But a weak immune system can fail to fight the condition and the body might contaminate the condition from an individual already affected by Candidiasis.

Even the vaginal yeast Infection in a woman is caused due to Candidiasis. The symptoms are various; for example you could develop rashes, uncontrollable itching sensation, skin lesions, infection of the hair follicles that could look like pimples or red, inflamed skin. Candidiasis could be identified by looking at the affected skin and confirmed after culture of a sample skin that has to be scraped from the affected area.

Tips to prevent candidiasis