Yeast Infections

Also called: Candidiasis, Moniliasis

On this page

Summary

Candida is the scientific name for yeast. It is a fungus that lives almost everywhere, including in your body. Usually, your immune system keeps yeast under control. If you are sick or taking antibiotics, it can multiply and cause an infection.

Yeast infections affect different parts of the body in different ways:

Thrush is a yeast infection that causes white patches in your mouth
Candida esophagitis is thrush that spreads to your esophagus, the tube that takes food from your mouth to your stomach. It can make it hard or painful to swallow.
Women can get vaginal yeast infections, causing vaginitis
Yeast infections of the skin cause itching and rashes
Yeast infections in your bloodstream can be life-threatening

Antifungal medicines get rid of yeast infections in most people. If you have a weak immune system, treatment might be more difficult.

Start Here

Candidiasis Basics (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Yeast Infection (Candidiasis) (VisualDX)
Yeast Infection (Vaginal) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

Fungal Culture Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Yeast Infection Tests (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

How to Use Vaginal Tablets, Suppositories, and Creams (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists)

Related Issues

Burning Mouth Syndrome (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) Also in Spanish
Yeast Infection during Pregnancy: Over-the-Counter Treatments OK? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Specifics

Candida Infection of the Bloodstream - Candidemia (American Thoracic Society) - PDF
Oral Thrush (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Preventing the Spread of C. auris (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Tinea Versicolor (American Academy of Dermatology)
Vaginal Yeast Infections (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish

Genetics

Familial candidiasis: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Images

Thrush (Oral Candidiasis) in Adults (VisualDX)

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Candidiasis (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Candidiasis, Oral (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Find an Expert

Children

Oral Thrush (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Thrush (Oral Candidiasis) (VisualDX)
Thrush and Other Candida Infections (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish

Teenagers

Can You Get a Yeast Infection After Having Sex? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Vaginal Yeast Infections (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Men

Yeast Infection in Men: How Can I Tell if I Have One? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

Candida infection of the skin (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Thrush - children and adults (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Vaginal yeast infection (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Topic Image

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Yeast Infections is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Disclaimers

MedlinePlus links to health information from the National Institutes of Health and other federal government agencies. MedlinePlus also links to health information from non-government Web sites. See our disclaimer about external links and our quality guidelines.