Background

• Candida albicans

• can be caused by atypical yeasts

  • may account for treatment failure

• women > men

• 10-20% women in reproductive years colonised with candida

  • asymptomatic

transmission

• not usually sexually transmitted

• most often associated with recent abx use, pregnnacy, immuno-suppression and DM

• more frequent with oral contraceptives or at particular stages of menstrual cycle

Symptoms

• itching/irritation around vulva, vagina or foreskin

• presence of white discharge and dysuria

Recurrent thrush;

• ≥4 episodes/year

• should trigger excluding conditions such as diabetes or atypical yeast

Testing

• high vagina/urethral