Yeast Infection
• Definition
· Yeast infection is the condition of an invasion of a type of single-cells fungus called a yeast.
· Yeast can break through the skin or mucous membranes ( mouth, throat, vagina) and invade tissues causing an infection.
• Overview
· Candida (Candida albicans) is normally part of the normal skin flora (organisms living on the skin surface that do not invade or cause disease).
· Normal intact skin and mucosal membranes form a barrier against yeast infections.
· Skin flora controls and inhibits overgrowth and infection with Candida and other dermatophytes (types of yeast found on humans).
· Antibiotic use can change the natural flora (colonies of bacteria) on the skin and increase risk of infection with yeast.
• Types
·Candida albicans yeast causes vaginal yeast infections and mouth infections(thrush).
Other dermatophytes (fungus) include:
· Tinea pedis(responsible for athletes feet)
· Tinea cruris (responsible for jock itch)
· Tinea corpis (responsible for ringworm)
· Tinea versicolor (coin sized spots in sun exposed areas)
• Symptoms
· Yeast infection symptoms depend on the type of yeast and area of the infection.
· Candida vaginal yeast infections cause a white, thick vaginal discharge and puritis.
· Candida mouth and throat infections (Thrush) causes thick white patches on the mucous membranes, sometimes painful.
· Tinea pedis (athletes feet) causes a very common scaly itchy rash on the feet.
· Tinea cruris (jock itch) affects men more commonly than women and causes a reddish itchy rash in the groin.
· Tinea corpis (ringworm) causes a white, scaly rash with a raised red border on the trunk, arms, legs.
· Tinea versicolor causes a non-itchy white scaly coin sized spots in sun exposed areas.
• Complications
· Fungemia is the condition of fungus invading the blood stream and is very rare and only occurs in patients in whom have an impaired immune system and are extremely ill.
• Treatment
· A topical antifungal cream is usually sufficient to control and treat fungal infections of the skin.
Posted on September 24, 2008
