Candidiasis
Did you know that Candidiasis is a commonly known as a yeast or fungi infection and will occur at least once in 75 percent of all women. There are over 20 species of Candida with the most common strain being Candida albicans. These fungi live on all surfaces of our bodies. Under certain conditions, they can become so numerous they cause infections, particularly in warm and moist areas. Examples of such infections are vaginal yeast infections, thrush, skin and diaper rash, and nailed infections.
Symptoms include itching, irritation and a thick, white vaginal discharge. These infections often result after taking an antibiotic, which kills the protective lactobacilli microflora of the vagina. Yeast infections are not sexually transmitted.
Prevention tips: Drink plenty of water, urinate after sex, and eat a low-carbohydrate diet (yeast tends to grow when blood sugar is high), and consume live culture yogurt or acidophilus supplements.
Treatments include over the counter antifungal preparations like Monistat and prescription antifungal. One type is Azole medications and these are a family of antifungal drugs that end in the suffix “-azole.” They act by blocking the manufacture of ergosterol, a crucial material of the yeast cell wall.
Without ergosterol, the yeast cell wall becomes leaky and the yeast die. Fortunately, ergosterol is not a component of human membranes, and azoles do not harm human cells.
Another group is the polyene antifungals which includes nystatin and amphotericin B. Nystatin is used for thrush and superficial candidal infections. Doctors normally reserve amphotericin B for more serious systemic fungal infections. Unlike Azole, Polyene antifungals work by attaching to the yeast cell wall building material, ergosterol. These medications then form artificial holes in the yeast wall that causes the yeast to leak and die.
