Types of Fungal Diseases: Example Candida

By SWA

 

 A general overview is available at CDC

 The reason that Candida is very common.
         It is rarely tested.
            Here is an overview:

Invasive Candidiasis

Invasive candidiasis is an infection caused by a yeast (a type of fungus) called Candida. Unlike Candida infections in the mouth and throat (also called “thrush”) or vaginal “yeast infections,” invasive candidiasis is a serious infection that can affect the blood, heart, brain, eyes, bones, and other parts of the body. Candidemia, a bloodstream infection with Candida, is a common infection in hospitalized patients.

Candida can cause infections if it grows out of control or if it enters deep into the body. 

For example, it can cause infections in the bloodstream or internal organs like the kidney, heart, or brain. Learn more about how Candida develops antimicrobial resistance and causes illness.
https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/candidiasis/index.html

Antimicrobial Resistance in Candida

Excerpt:  Patients with Candida infections that are resistant to both fluconazole and echinocandin drugs have very few treatment options. The primary treatment option is amphotericin B, a drug that can be toxic for patients who are already very sick. Growing evidence suggests that patients who have antimicrobial-resistant Candida bloodstream infections (also known as candidemia) are less likely to survive than patients who have candidemia that can be treated by antifungal drugs.2,3

Concern is rising over the emerging fungus Candida auris,4 which is rare in most areas of the United States but is a growing threat. Resistance rates for C. auris are much higher than for other Candida species:

  • About 90% of U.S. C. auris samples are resistant to fluconazole
  • Up to one-third are resistant to the antifungal drug amphotericin B.5

Although most C. auris samples are susceptible to echinocandins, resistance to echinocandin drugs can also develop while the patient is being treated with these types of drugs. Moreover, C. auris is a concerning public health issue, especially because it can be difficult to identify with standard laboratory methods and spreads easily in healthcare settings, such as hospitals and long-term care facilities with patients who have high care needs.

 Medical illustration of <em>Candida albicans.</em>

 Diagnosis and testing for Invasive Candidiasis

How is invasive candidiasis diagnosed?

Healthcare providers rely on your medical history, symptoms, physical examinations, and laboratory tests to diagnose invasive candidiasis. The most common way that healthcare providers test for invasive candidiasis is by taking a blood sample or sample from the infected body site and sending it to a laboratory to see if it will grow Candida in a culture. Results from a test will usually be available in a few days.

 Medical illustration of Candida albicans.

By Skin Candida can Broadband Xe spectrum and, to a degree, violet/blue visible light at ∼λ=420 nm, provide effective alternative solutions.

 

Invasive Candidiasis Risk & Prevention

Where Invasive Candidiasis Comes From

Treatment for Invasive Candidiasis

How long does the treatment last?


Could a virus use bacteria or fungus as a host cell?

 

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