Editing Yeast (section)

== Pathogenic yeasts ==
{{Main|Fungal infection}}
[[File:Candida Gram stain.jpg|thumb|right|[[Gram stain]] of ''Candida albicans'' from a vaginal swab. The small oval chlamydospores are 2–4 [[micrometre|μm]] in diameter.]]
[[File:C albicans en.jpg|thumb|right|A [[photomicrograph]] of ''[[Candida albicans]]'' showing hyphal outgrowth and other morphological characteristics]]

Some species of yeast are [[opportunistic pathogen]]s that can cause infection in people with compromised [[immune system]]s. ''[[Cryptococcus neoformans]]'' and ''[[Cryptococcus gattii]]'' are significant pathogens of [[immunocompromised]] people. They are the species primarily responsible for [[cryptococcosis]], a [[fungal infection]] that occurs in about one million [[HIV/AIDS]] patients, causing over 600,000 deaths annually.<ref name="Cogliati-2013"/> The cells of these yeast are surrounded by a rigid [[polysaccharide]] capsule, which helps to prevent them from being recognised and engulfed by [[white blood cell]]s in the human body.<ref name="O'Meara-2012"/>

Yeasts of the genus ''[[Candida (genus)|Candida]]'', another group of opportunistic pathogens, cause [[Oral candidiasis|oral]] and [[vaginal infection]]s in humans, known as [[candidiasis]]. ''Candida'' is commonly found as a [[commensal]] yeast in the [[mucous membrane]]s of humans and other warm-blooded animals. However, sometimes these same strains can become pathogenic. The yeast cells sprout a [[hypha]]l outgrowth, which locally penetrates the [[mucous membrane|mucosal membrane]], causing irritation and shedding of the tissues.<ref name="Deacon-2006"/> A book from the 1980s listed the pathogenic yeasts of candidiasis in probable descending order of [[virulence]] for humans as: ''[[Candida albicans|C.&nbsp;albicans]]'', ''[[Candida tropicalis|C.&nbsp;tropicalis]]'', ''[[Candida stellatoidea|C.&nbsp;stellatoidea]]'', ''[[Candida glabrata|C.&nbsp;glabrata]]'', ''[[Candida krusei|C.&nbsp;krusei]]'', ''[[Candida parapsilosis|C.&nbsp;parapsilosis]]'', ''[[Candida guilliermondii|C.&nbsp;guilliermondii]]'', ''[[Candida viswanathii|C.&nbsp;viswanathii]]'', ''[[Candida lusitaniae|C.&nbsp;lusitaniae]]'', and ''[[Rhodotorula|Rhodotorula mucilaginosa]]''.<ref name="Hurley-1987"/> ''Candida glabrata'' is the second most common ''Candida'' pathogen after ''C.&nbsp;albicans'', causing infections of the [[urogenital tract]], and of the [[bloodstream]] ([[candidemia]]).<ref name="Brunke-2013"/> ''[[Candida auris|C.&nbsp;auris]]'' has been more recently identified.