Patient/caregiver was educated on risk factors for candida infection as follows:
- Candidiasis is an opportunistic fungal/yeast infection caused by candida, usually involving warm and moist areas of the skin, such as, groin, armpits. The fungus can also infect other body areas, such as, scalp, nails, oral cavity, tongue, gums, pharynx, esophagus, and genital regions.
- Strong and intact immune system can help keeping the candida inactive. The fungus, being opportunistic, has the potential to get activated anytime in future, under conditions of compromised immune system, resulting in candida infection of affected skin and body parts.
Risk factors for candida activation include:
- Senility – Individual immunity progressively decreases in seniors and thus, advanced age can be a serious risk factor for presentation with candida infection.
- Prolonged steroid intake – Individuals with history of organ transplantation can be placed on long-term steroid administration, as steroids help prevent development of autoantibodies and thus, prevent transplant rejection. In this process, steroids reduce the overall production of antibodies and so, reduce immunity. Reduced immune status in such individuals can contribute to candida infection.
- Inhalation steroids – Individuals with history of poorly controlled asthma and COPD can be prescribed oral inhalation steroids for relief. Use of these oral inhalation steroids can disturb the normal environment in the oral cavity. This can tip the balance in favor of excessive growth of opportunistic candida, resulting in oral candidiasis or thrush.
- Diabetes – Altered immunity and poorly controlled blood sugars in diabetic patients is a friendly environment for fungal growth, resulting in candida infection.
- Dentures – Improper cleaning of dentures can grow candida and contribute to candida infection of oral cavity.
