Editing Candidiasis (section)

== Causes ==
{{Main|Candida (fungus)}}
''Candida'' yeasts are generally present in healthy humans, frequently part of the human body's normal oral and intestinal flora, and particularly on the skin; however, their growth is normally limited by the human [[immune system]] and by competition of other [[microorganism]]s, such as bacteria occupying the same locations in the human body.<ref name=Goroll>{{cite book |vauthors=Mulley AG, Goroll AH |title=Primary Care Medicine: office evaluation and management of the adult patient |publisher=Wolters Kluwer Health |location=Philadelphia |year=2006 |pages=802–3 |isbn=978-0-7817-7456-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aWQhTbwoM9EC&pg=RA1-PA802 |access-date=2008-11-23 |archive-date=2024-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224182546/https://books.google.com/books?id=aWQhTbwoM9EC&pg=RA1-PA802 |url-status=live }}</ref>
''Candida'' requires moisture for growth, notably on the skin.<ref name=Mims>{{cite book|last=Goehring|first=Richard V. |title=Mims' medical microbiology.|year=2008|publisher=Mosby Elsevier|location=Philadelphia, PA|isbn=978-0-323-04475-2|page=656|edition=4th}}</ref> For example, wearing wet swimwear for long periods of time is believed to be a risk factor.<ref name=MedlinePlus>{{MedlinePlusEncyclopedia |001511|Vaginal yeast infection}}</ref> Candida can also cause diaper rashes in babies.<ref name="medlineplus.gov"/> In extreme cases, superficial infections of the skin or mucous membranes may enter the bloodstream and cause systemic ''Candida'' infections.<ref name="m611">{{cite journal | last1=Spampinato | first1=Claudia | last2=Leonardi | first2=Darío | title=<i>Candida</i>Infections, Causes, Targets, and Resistance Mechanisms: Traditional and Alternative Antifungal Agents | journal=BioMed Research International | publisher=Hindawi Limited | volume=2013 | year=2013 | issn=2314-6133 | doi=10.1155/2013/204237 | doi-access=free | pages=1–13| pmid=23878798 | pmc=3708393 | hdl=11336/3438 | hdl-access=free }}</ref>

Factors that increase the risk of candidiasis include [[HIV]]/[[AIDS]], [[EBV infectious mononucleosis|mononucleosis]], [[cancer]] treatments, [[steroids]], [[Stress (medicine)|stress]], antibiotic therapy, diabetes, and nutrient deficiency. [[Hormone replacement therapy (menopause)|Hormone replacement therapy]] and infertility treatments may also be predisposing factors.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Nwokolo NC, Boag FC | title = Chronic vaginal candidiasis. Management in the postmenopausal patient | journal = Drugs & Aging | volume = 16 | issue = 5 | pages = 335–9 | date = May 2000 | pmid = 10917071 | doi = 10.2165/00002512-200016050-00003 | s2cid = 24662417 }}</ref> Use of inhaled corticosteroids increases risk of candidiasis of the mouth.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.uptodate.com/contents/major-side-effects-of-inhaled-glucocorticoids#H4|title=Major side effects of inhaled glucocorticoids|last1=Saag|first1=Kenneth G|last2=Furst|first2=MScDaniel E|website=UpToDate|access-date=2019-08-02|last3=Barnes|first3=Peter J|archive-date=2020-07-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727064840/https://www.uptodate.com/contents/major-side-effects-of-inhaled-glucocorticoids#H4|url-status=live}}</ref> Inhaled corticosteroids with other risk factors such as antibiotics, oral glucocorticoids, not rinsing mouth after use of inhaled corticosteroids or high dose of inhaled corticosteroids put people at even higher risk.<ref name=":1" /> Treatment with antibiotics can lead to eliminating the yeast's natural competitors for resources in the oral and intestinal flora, thereby increasing the severity of the condition.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Bassetti M, Mikulska M, Viscoli C | title = Bench-to-bedside review: therapeutic management of invasive candidiasis in the intensive care unit | journal = Critical Care | volume = 14 | issue = 6 | pages = 244 | date = December 2010 | pmid = 21144007 | pmc = 3220045 | doi = 10.1186/cc9239 | doi-access = free }}</ref> A weakened or undeveloped immune system or metabolic illnesses are significant predisposing factors of candidiasis.<ref name="Odds">{{cite journal | vauthors = Odds FC | title = Candida infections: an overview | journal = Critical Reviews in Microbiology | volume = 15 | issue = 1 | pages = 1–5 | year = 1987 | pmid = 3319417 | doi = 10.3109/10408418709104444 }}</ref> Almost 15% of people with weakened immune systems develop a systemic illness caused by ''Candida'' species.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Choo ZW, Chakravarthi S, Wong SF, Nagaraja HS, Thanikachalam PM, Mak JW, Radhakrishnan A, Tay A | title = A comparative histopathological study of systemic candidiasis in association with experimentally induced breast cancer | journal = Oncology Letters | volume = 1 | issue = 1 | pages = 215–222 | date = January 2010 | pmid = 22966285 | pmc = 3436220 | doi = 10.3892/ol_00000039 | url = http://www.spandidos-publications.com/ol/1/1/215 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716113502/http://www.spandidos-publications.com/ol/1/1/215 | url-status = live | archive-date = 2011-07-16 }}</ref> Diets high in simple [[carbohydrates]] have been found to affect rates of oral candidiases.<ref name=Review2002>{{cite journal | vauthors = Akpan A, Morgan R | title = Oral candidiasis | journal = Postgraduate Medical Journal | volume = 78 | issue = 922 | pages = 455–9 | date = August 2002 | pmid = 12185216 | pmc = 1742467 | doi = 10.1136/pmj.78.922.455 }}</ref>

''C. albicans'' was isolated from the vaginas of 19% of apparently healthy women, i.e., those who experienced few or no symptoms of infection.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}} External use of detergents or [[douche]]s or internal disturbances (hormonal or physiological) can [[Perturbation (biology)|perturb]] the normal [[vaginal flora]], consisting of [[lactic acid bacteria]], such as [[lactobacilli]], and result in an overgrowth of ''Candida'' cells, causing symptoms of infection, such as local [[inflammation]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Mårdh PA, Novikova N, Stukalova E | title = Colonisation of extragenital sites by Candida in women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis | journal = BJOG | volume = 110 | issue = 10 | pages = 934–7 | date = October 2003 | pmid = 14550364 | doi = 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2003.01445.x | s2cid = 25585573 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Pregnancy and the use of oral contraceptives have been reported as risk factors.<ref name="Schiefer">{{cite journal | vauthors = Schiefer HG | title = Mycoses of the urogenital tract | journal = Mycoses | volume = 40 | issue = Suppl 2 | pages = 33–6 | year = 1997 | pmid = 9476502 | doi = 10.1111/j.1439-0507.1997.tb00561.x | s2cid = 27268821 }}</ref> [[Diabetes mellitus]] and the use of [[antibiotics]] are also linked to increased rates of yeast infections.<ref name="Schiefer"/>

In [[penis|penile]] candidiasis, the causes include sexual intercourse with an infected individual, low immunity, antibiotics, and diabetes. Male genital yeast infections are less common, but a yeast infection on the penis caused from direct contact via sexual intercourse with an infected partner is not uncommon.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = David LM, Walzman M, Rajamanoharan S | title = Genital colonisation and infection with candida in heterosexual and homosexual males | journal = Genitourinary Medicine | volume = 73 | issue = 5 | pages = 394–6 | date = October 1997 | pmid = 9534752 | pmc = 1195901 | doi = 10.1136/sti.73.5.394 }}</ref>

Breast-feeding mothers may also develop candidiasis on and around the nipple as a result of moisture created by excessive milk-production.<ref name="Walker_2008" />

[[Vagina]]l candidiasis can cause congenital candidiasis in [[infant|newborns]].<ref name="Skoczylas 2014 179–89">{{cite journal | vauthors = Skoczylas MM, Walat A, Kordek A, Loniewska B, Rudnicki J, Maleszka R, Torbé A | title = Congenital candidiasis as a subject of research in medicine and human ecology | journal = Annals of Parasitology | volume = 60 | issue = 3 | pages = 179–89 | date = 2014 | pmid = 25281815 }}</ref>