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Candida: colonization and vaginal candidiasis
Make it clearer
Candida, a yeast, which is a type of fungus, can live on the vulva and in the vagina. When it multiplies more than it should, it irritates and inflames those tissues, and that's what's called vulvovaginal candidiasis. What it feels like is itching, soreness, redness, or discharge.
That said, Candida can also just sit there doing nothing, like a quiet tenant who takes a room and bothers no one; that silent presence is called colonization. So if a test finds the fungus but the woman has no symptoms, that finding alone doesn't mean there's an active infection. It works the other way around too: itching, soreness, redness, and discharge show up for plenty of other reasons, so none of those symptoms points to Candida on its own.
In brief
Vulvovaginal candidiasis occurs when Candida, a yeast and therefore a type of fungus, overgrows and inflames the vulva and vagina.
It can cause itching, soreness, redness, or discharge, but none of these symptoms is specific to candidiasis.
Candida can also live in these areas without causing disease; this is called colonization. So finding it in the absence of symptoms does not automatically mean there is an active infection.
Sources (2)
- Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCandidiasis BasicsPublished
- Centers for Disease Control and PreventionVulvovaginal Candidiasis
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated