Candida albicans

Candida albicans is a yeast that can cause fungal infections known as yeast infections or candidiasis. It can also infect the blood, a conditon know as candidemia.

A 2007 study found that invasive candidiasis was responsible for 0.4 deaths per 100,000 in the United States. Of these, C. albicans was responsible for half of the deaths, with other species in the genus Candida responsible for the other half. The article emphasizes the prevalence of Candida as a cause of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections (and two-thirds of all candidemia cases are hospital-acquired).

"The incidence of IC was remarkably consistent, at 22 to 24 infections per 100,000 population per year (19 to 20 per 10,000 hospital discharges) from 1996 through 2002, with an increase to 29 infections per 100,000 (24 per 10,000 discharges) in 2003. This translates to a national burden of approximately 63,000 infections per year."

Candida in the Human Gut

One study found Candida species in the guts of 57 percent of study participants. It was the second most common fungal genus, following Saccharomyces. Candida correlated with recent consumption of carbohydrates and it was negatively correlated with recent consumption of saturated fatty acids.

According to a 2014 study:

"The fungal pathogen C. albicans is a common inhabitant of certain body locations, such as the gastrointestinal and vaginal tracts, where it frequently behaves as a harmless commensal; however, an alteration of host defense mechanisms may lead to a pathogenic behavior of the fungus. Under certain circumstances, this process may involve the translocation of the fungus to the bloodstream from these reservoirs, reaching essential organs and causing severe diseases. Despite the increasing importance of non-Candida and non-albicans species, this fungus is the 4th leading cause of nosocomial [hospital-acquired] infections, representing a primary health problem in several countries that is partially aggravated by the relatively limited antifungal therapy available."

Resources and articles

Related Sourcewatch articles

• Human Gut Microbes

External Articles

2014

• Prieto D, Román E, Correia I, Pla J, "The HOG Pathway Is Critical for the Colonization of the Mouse Gastrointestinal Tract by Candida albicans," PLoS One, January 27, 2014.
• Risović D, Maver-Bišćanin M, Mravak-Stipetić M, Bukovski S, Bišćanin A, "Quantitative Investigation of Efficiency of Ultraviolet and Visible Light in Eradication of Candida albicans In Vitro," Photomed Laser Surg, April 2014.
• Conti HR, Huppler AR, Whibley N, Gaffen SL, "Animal models for candidiasis," Curr Protoc Immunol, April 2, 2014.

2013

• Samonis G, Galanakis E, Ntaoukakis M, Sarchianaki E, Spathopoulou T, Dimopoulou D, Kofteridis DP, Maraki S, "Effects of carbapenems and their combination with amikacin on murine gut colonisation by Candida albicans," Mycoses, March 2013.
• Gerard R, Sendid B, Colombel JF, Poulain D, Jouault T, "An immunological link between Candida albicans colonization and Crohn's disease," Crit Rev Microbiol, June 16, 2013.
• Hoffmann C, Dollive S, Grunberg S, Chen J, Li H, Wu GD, Lewis JD, Bushman FD, "Archaea and fungi of the human gut microbiome: correlations with diet and bacterial residents," PLoS One, June 17, 2013.
• Rucklidge JJ, "Could yeast infections impair recovery from mental illness? A case study using micronutrients and olive leaf extract for the treatment of ADHD and depression," Adv Mind Body Med, Summer 2013.
• Atanasova R, Angoulvant A, Tefit M, Gay F, Guitard J, Mazier D, Fairhead C, Hennequin C, "A mouse model for Candida glabrata hematogenous disseminated infection starting from the gut: evaluation of strains with different adhesion properties," PLoS One, July 23, 2013.
• Garsin DA, Lorenz MC, "Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis in the gut: Synergy in commensalism?," Gut Microbes, August 13, 2013.
• Dollive S, Chen YY, Grunberg S, Bittinger K, Hoffmann C, Vandivier L, Cuff C, Lewis JD, Wu GD, Bushman FD, "Fungi of the Murine Gut: Episodic Variation and Proliferation during Antibiotic Treatment," PLoS One, August 19, 2013.
• Zelante T, Iannitti RG, Cunha C, De Luca A, Giovannini G, Pieraccini G, Zecchi R, D'Angelo C, Massi-Benedetti C, Fallarino F, Carvalho A, Puccetti P, Romani L, "Tryptophan catabolites from microbiota engage aryl hydrocarbon receptor and balance mucosal reactivity via interleukin-22," Immunity, August 22, 2013.
• Pande K, Chen C, Noble SM, "Passage through the mammalian gut triggers a phenotypic switch that promotes Candida albicans commensalism," Nature Genetics, September 2013.
• Di Carlo P, Di Vita G, Guadagnino G, Cocorullo G, D'Arpa F, Salamone G, Salvatore B, Gulotta G, Cabibi D, "Surgical pathology and the diagnosis of invasive visceral yeast infection: two case reports and literature review," World Journal of Emergency Surgery, September 26, 2013.
• Soyucen E, Gulcan A, Aktuglu-Zeybek AC, Onal H, Kiykim E, Aydin A, "Differences in the gut microbiota of healthy children and those with type 1 diabetes," Pediatr Int, November 1, 2013.
• Koh AY, "Murine models of Candida gastrointestinal colonization and dissemination," Eurkaryot Cell, November 2013.
• Li Q, Wang C, Tang C, He Q, Li N, Li J, "Dysbiosis of Gut Fungal Microbiota is Associated With Mucosal Inflammation in Crohn's Disease," J Clin Gastroenterol, November 29, 2013.

2012

• Hamad I, Sokhna C, Raoult D, Bittar F, "Molecular detection of eukaryotes in a single human stool sample from Senegal," PLoS One, 2012.
• Daniel Tonetti, "Candida albicans as the Sole Organism Cultured from a Perirectal Abscess," Case Reports in Infectious Disease, 2012.
• Iliev ID, Funari VA, Taylor KD, Nguyen Q, Reyes CN, Strom SP, Brown J, Becker CA, Fleshner PR, Dubinsky M, Rotter JI, Wang HL, McGovern DP, Brown GD, Underhill DM, "Interactions between commensal fungi and the C-type lectin receptor Dectin-1 influence colitis," June 8, 2012.
• Plantinga TS, van Bergenhenegouwen J, Jacobs C, Joosten LA, van't Land B, Garssen J, Netea MG, "Modulation of Toll-like receptor ligands and Candida albicans-induced cytokine responses by specific probiotics," Cytokine, July 2012.
• Tzialla C, Borghesi A, Perotti GF, Garofoli F, Manzoni P, Stronati M, "Use and misuse of antibiotics in the neonatal intensive care unit," J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med, October 2012.
• Marranzino G, Villena J, Salva S, Alvarez S, "Stimulation of macrophages by immunobiotic Lactobacillus strains: influence beyond the intestinal tract," Microbiol Immunol, November 2012.
• Silvestri L, de la Cal MA, van Saene HK, "Selective decontamination of the digestive tract: the mechanism of action is control of gut overgrowth," Intensive Care Med, November 2012.
• Gilchrist KB, Garcia MC, Sobonya R, Lipke PN, Klotz SA, "New features of invasive candidiasis in humans: amyloid formation by fungi and deposition of serum amyloid P component by the host," Journal of Infectious Diseases, November 1, 2012.
• Jean Carlet, "The gut is the epicentre of antibiotic resistance," Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control, November 27, 2012.
• Dubert M, Loi V, Tligui M, Hertig A, "Rapidly progressive kidney failure induced by fungal mycelia obstructing indwelling ureteral stents," BMJ Case Rep, December 14, 2012.