Vaginal yeast infection

Vaginal yeast infection
Other names	Candidal vulvovaginitis, vaginal thrush
Gram stain showing the spores and pseudohyphae of Candida albicans surrounded by round vaginal skin cells, during a yeast infection
Medical specialty	Gynaecology
Symptoms	Vaginal itching, burning with urination, white and thick vaginal discharge, pain with sex, redness around the vagina
Causes	Excessive growth of Candida
Risk factors	Antibiotics, pregnancy, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, weak immune system
Diagnostic method	Testing the vaginal discharge, microbial evaluation
Differential diagnosis	Chlamydia, gonorrhea, bacterial vaginosis
Treatment	Antifungal medication
Frequency	75% of women at some point

A vaginal yeast infection is an infection caused by too much growth of yeast in the vagina. This causes a discharge and irritation. It is also called candidal vulvovaginitis and vaginal thrush. A vaginal yeast infection will not go away on its own.

The fungus Candida albicans is a fungus that usually causes yeast infections. It is so small it can only be seen with a microscope. It is responsible for about nine out of every ten infections. Other species that cause vaginal yeast infections are Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, Pichia kudriavzevii, Candida parapsilosis, and Meyerozyma guilliermondii. Candida albicans can cause infections in other parts of the body.

The vagina has a normal growth of bacteria and yeast. The yeast is often found in small numbers in the mouth, digestive tract and on the skin. But when too much yeast grows, irritation usually happens. Sometimes the drugs used to treat the infection stop working. Some yeasts become resistant to antifungal drugs. This makes them hard to treat. There are times when the yeast grows in other areas of the body like the abdomen and the top of the mons pubis. This infection does not have a smell.

These infections are common. Between 75-80% of women have at least one infection in their life, about 5-9% have four or more, per year.

Signs and symptoms

Sometimes an infection does not cause any symptoms. A yeast infection is usually very uncomfortable. It can feel like burning. It causes itching and swelling.The infection can make tiny cracks in the skin of the vulva. The skin of the vulva can have scratch marks.

A vaginal yeast infection can cause vaginal discharge. The vaginal discharge can be like water or it can be thick, white, and chunky. Sex may be painful during the infection. It may be painful to pee. A vaginal yeast infection usually causes the vagina and vulva to become swollen, itchy and red.

Risk factors and causes

If the body has a weak immune system, this makes it more likely that a woman will get a vaginal yeast infection. Taking certain types of medicine like antibiotics increases the risk of having a vaginal yeast infection. Medicine can be one risk factor of a vaginal yeast infection. These medicines are antibiotics, steroids, and chemotherapy drugs. The risk of infection is higher if a woman is pregnant. The risk of infection is higher if she is obese. The risk is greater if a woman douches or uses spray in her vaginal area. Some health conditions make it likely to have a yeast infection. These are diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and cancer. Being overweight is a risk factor. If a woman is taking birth control pills, she is more likely to have a yeast infection. The risk of having a vagina yeast infection is increased if the woman has a weak immune system. Taking corticosteroids is also a risk factor. Pregnancy is also a risk factor. If a woman is taking hormone replacement therapy drugs, she increases her risk of getting the infection. Infections are often seen in in warmer climates.

In many cases, infections are caused by Candida albicans. This species is responsible for about nine out of every ten infections. The other cases are caused by other species of yeast. In total, there are about ten species that cause infections. Candida albicans is a common fungus often found in the mouth, digestive tract, or vagina without causing problems. Some men will may develop symptoms of an infection. These are itching or irritation of the penis. Other symptoms include burning and redness around the tip of the penis. There may be discharge that may be like cottage cheese. It may be hard to pull back the foreskin. A vaginal yeast infection can be spread through sex. In men, an infection of yeast can cause balanitis. When the infection includes the foreskin it is called balanoposthitis.

Treatment

It is common for the doctor to look for other symptoms of other infections. To find out whether or not a woman has a vaginal yeast infection, a doctor may look through a microscope to see the yeast. The health worker may look at the vagina and vulva. A sample of the vaginal discharge will be tested to check for other infections.

There are different drugs that can be used for treatment. Treatment takes between a few days and two weeks. Some drugs are taken by mouth, but others come in the form of a cream or with medicine that is put inside the vagina. Some drugs can be bought without a prescription. Drugs used to treat a vaginal yeast infection come in different forms. These are creams, pills, or intravenous treatment (IV). Treatment is often a cream put in the vagina or a pill of fluconazole. Creams can be sold without a prescription. If the infection doesn't get better, the doctor may try giving more doses of fluconazole. The doctor may prescribe other drugs such as nystatin, boric acid, or flucytosine. Clotrimazole, Tioconazole, Butoconazole, and Miconazole are medicines that are sometimes used to treat vaginal yeast infections. A yeast infection may last only a few days if it is treated. Treatment for pregnant women can be different from non-pregnant women. If a woman has five or more infections in a year the doctor may prescribe more medication for a time. After being treated for a few months women may find their infections are are fewer or gone. Probiotics or homeopathic medications do not work to treat a vaginal yeast infection.

Prevention

The yeast grows in warm, moist conditions. Reducing the risk of having a vaginal yeast infection can be helped by wearing cotton underwear, wearing breathable clothing, and keeping the vulva cool, dry and clean. Yogurt is eaten and is sometimes useful after taking antibiotics. Avoiding unnecessary antibiotic medication can reduce vaginal yeast infections. Not douching will make it less likely to have the infection. If a woman has diabetes, keeping blood sugar normal can help with prevention. If a woman has wet clothes, changing into dry clothes helps to prevent this infection. Wash diaphragms, menstrual cups, cervical caps, and spermicide devices after every use. Treatment of women with no symptoms of vaginal yeast infection in pregnancy lowers the risk of preterm birth.

Complications

Symptoms may not go away after treatment with medicine. In some cases symptoms get worse. Sometimes other symptoms appear. In addition to a vaginal yeast infection, the woman may have an STI. Many vaginal yeast infections could mean that there may be other health problems. Other infections or discharge can be another, different infection.

Complicated yeast is four or more episodes of thrush in a year or when there are severe symptoms of inflammation. If the woman is pregnant, has a poorly-controlled diabetes, or a poor immune function the thrush is classified as complicated. This is also the case if the thrush is not caused by Candida albicans. A complicated yeast infection can be caused by non-Candida albicans species.

Related pages

• Vaginal flora
• Candidiasis
• Vagina

References

Other websites

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