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Can there be serious complications?
If the disease is not properly treated and the proliferation of fungi persists and increases with time, candidiasis may become chronic, resulting in excessive spread of the yeast to areas as distal as the palms of the hands or the nail folds of the feet (mucocutaneous candidiasis).
When does a mucocutaneous candidiasis become invasive and how is it treated?
This transformation of the initial clinical condition occurs in people with extremely weak immune systems, such as patients with HIV, uncontrolled diabetes or those receiving immunosuppressive treatments (cancer chemotherapy, steroids, anti-rejection of transplanted organs drugs, etc.).
What are the differences between candidemia and invasive candidiasis?
Invasive candidiasis is when the initial infection (in external genitalia, for example) spreads to sites as diverse as the kidneys, brain, eyes, or delicate heart valves. It occurs in people with very weakened immune systems or hospitalized patients.
However, candidemia is a severe septicemic state in which the yeast reaches the bloodstream and can reach almost any tissue or organ of the body. It usually follows medical procedures such as the implantation of inguinal venous catheters.
Candidemia always precedes invasive candidiasis.