CANDIDA ALBICANS: BENEFITS, DISEASES, TREATMENTS - MEDICINE - 2025

Candida albicans is a microscopic, single-celled yeast-type fungus, a member of the genus Candida, which has more than 150 species. Of all these species, Candida albicans is the one most often associated with infections in humans.

It is a saprophytic fungus, that is, it feeds on the waste or by-products of other living beings without directly damaging them. For this reason, it is part of what is usually known as normal flora: the set of microorganisms that live in the tissues of more complex living beings without causing them any harm.

Given its condition as a saprophytic organism, Candida albicans is found on the surface of the skin and mucous membranes of many warm-blooded animals, including man, without causing any damage and even helping in certain digestive processes that involve fermentation.

However, if the right conditions are met, Candida albicans can go from being a harmless saprophytic fungus to an invasive fungus, thus being capable of affecting its host and causing disease.

Location in the body

As already mentioned, Candida albicans lives in close association with humans without any discomfort under normal conditions.

Although it is capable of colonizing practically any type of tissue, the areas where it is most frequently found are the following:

- The skin.

- Vaginal mucosa.

- Mucosa of the oral cavity.

- Gastrointestinal tract.

In these areas the fungus lives, develops and fulfills its life cycle, going practically unnoticed.

Benefits that Candida Albicans brings to normal flora

The fact that Candida albicans literally lives on and within us implies certain benefits for both the fungus and the human being, since this microorganism has a practically inexhaustible supply of food and the host benefits from its presence.

Avoid the presence of pathogenic microorganisms

By living on the skin, Candida albicans protects its territory in some way and prevents other pathogenic microorganisms from invading its space. This tiny unicellular fungus takes care of us from infections by other more aggressive and invasive germs.

The same can be said for the vagina, where the presence of Candida albicans prevents infection by other microbes.

Participate in digestive processes

On the other hand, living in the gastrointestinal tract, Candida albicans can take part in some digestive processes by fermenting certain types of fibers that humans are not able to digest.

In this way, the fungus gets its own food and helps us digest some foods that we could not otherwise take advantage of.

Diseases it causes

So far the positive side of Candida albicans has been described. However, despite its benefits, this fungus is usually one of the most frequently implicated in infections in humans. But, when does the presence of the fungus begin to be a problem?

Under normal conditions, Candida albicans does not cause any problems due to a delicate chemical, physical and biological balance; This means that if the pH, temperature and humidity conditions in your environment are stable and within certain limits, the fungus does not multiply enough to cause infections.

For its part, the host's immune system creates a kind of security perimeter, destroying any cell of the fungus that exceeds tolerable limits and preventing infection.

When there is any change in any of the factors involved in this delicate balance, Candida albicans can not only multiply beyond normal limits, but also cause infections both in the tissues where it normally lives and in others much more remote and deep.

In fact, it is considered that Candida albicans can cause two types of infections in humans: superficial and deep

Superficial infections

When there is a change in pH, humidity levels or local increase in temperature, it is very likely that Candida albicans multiplies much more than normal and manages to overcome the barriers imposed by the host's immune system, generating an infection in the area where dwells.

The skin is one of the areas that can be affected; in this case, specific symptoms will occur depending on the affected area.

Other areas that tend to suffer more frequently from superficial Candida albicans infection are the following:

- Vagina (Candida vaginitis)

In general, in Candida albicans vaginitis there is usually itching in the vagina associated with whitish discharge that looks like cut milk, a bad smell and pain during sexual intercourse.

- Oral mucosa (muget)

Oral candidiasis usually presents with pain in the area, redness of the mucosa, and the development of a white, cottony coating usually located on the surface of the tongue and gums.

This type of yeast infection tends to be more common in young babies and is known as mugget.

- Gastrointestinal tract (esophageal candidiasis)

In the case of esophageal candidiasis, the symptoms are pain when swallowing. In addition, during endoscopy a redness of the esophageal mucosa and the presence of cottony plaques reminiscent of those of the muget are visible.

Deep infections

Deep infections are those that occur in tissues where Candida albicans is not normally present.

These infections should not be confused with those that occur in depth, such as esophageal candidiasis, which, although they are inside the body, do not exceed the mucous membrane where the fungus usually lives.

On the contrary, in deep candidiasis the fungus reaches tissues where it would not normally be found; it reaches these sites by traveling through the bloodstream. When this happens, the patient is said to suffer from candidemia, or what is the same: spread of the fungus throughout the body through the blood.

Most susceptible people

This usually occurs in people whose immune system is seriously compromised, such as terminally ill AIDS patients or cancer patients receiving highly aggressive chemotherapy.

People with organ transplants and who therefore receive immunosuppressive drugs are also susceptible, as well as those who suffer from any serious medical condition that compromises the immune system to the point of allowing Candida albicans to overcome natural defenses and spread through the organism.

It is a serious infection that can be associated with the formation of fungal abscesses in the liver, brain, spleen, kidneys or any other internal organ.

Treatment of Candida albicans infections

The treatment of Candida albicans infections is based on a twofold strategy: controlling the excessive proliferation of the fungus through the use of antifungals and restoring the equilibrium conditions that help it to remain as a saprophytic fungus.

To achieve the first objective, antifungal agents are usually used, whose route of administration will depend on the affected area.

For superficial candidiasis

Antifungal creams can be used for cutaneous (skin) or vaginal yeast infections. For the latter, a presentation as vaginal ovules is also available.

For oral and esophageal candidiasis

In this case, oral antifungal administration is usually necessary, since topical treatment is often complicated.

For systemic candidiasis

Because it is a very serious disease, it is necessary to hospitalize the patient and administer antifungals intravenously.

In all cases, health personnel must identify where the imbalance that caused the infection is in order to correct it, thus preventing the situation from recurring in the future.

References

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