Candida krusei is an intrinsically harmless yeast fungus that occurs in the bodies of humans, animals, and even on plants. Under special conditions favorable to it, it can multiply explosively and cause localized mycoses and, in extreme cases, even systemic mycoses, including blood poisoning. Candida krusei is becoming increasingly important in the health and care sector, because of the rapidly growing number of high-risk patients.
What is Candida krusei?
The yeast Candida krusei refers to one of a total of 17 Candida genera and is a subspecies of Candida albicans, a very common yeast. For people with an intact immune system, Candida krusei poses no danger. However, patients with a permanently or temporarily weakened immune system and those who already have resistance to drugs that normally fight the fungus are particularly at risk. Candida krusei can live in diverse environments and presents itself in immunocompromised patients with many different symptoms that are not easily attributed to the yeast, as they appear rather nonspecific. If Candida krusei spreads throughout the body, apart from drug therapy with chemical and natural remedies, only a complete change of diet will help to push back the fungus in the body. Since the Candida fungus, like others of its kind, lives on carbohydrates and sugars, the patient must avoid all kinds of sugar (to a limited extent: fructose) and flour products. The anti-fungal diet is rich in complex carbohydrates such as vegetables and potatoes and is accompanied by intestinal rehabilitation (probiotics intake). In people with only a briefly impaired defense system, the fungus causes at worst a superficial colonization, which can be eliminated with antifungals. In industry, Candida krusei is used to debitter cocoa beans. This gives cocoa its characteristic aroma. The fungus is also used to ripen baker’s yeast and certain types of cheese (Harz cheese). Even for the industrial production of ethanol Candida krusei is used.
Occurrence, distribution and properties
Candida crusei is a diploid yeast fungus and can occur in many different habitats. It colonizes foods such as alcoholic beverages, meat, fruit juice, and is found in sewage and soil. It also finds optimal growth conditions on and in the human body. It prefers warm, moist body sites on armpits, male and female genitalia, skin folds, the anal area, and the spaces between toes and fingers. It is also a component of normal intestinal flora. If it spreads within the body via the bloodstream (systemic candidiasis), it primarily affects the mucous membranes of the organs. These are in particular the stomach, spleen, liver, kidneys and lungs. It can then be detected in saliva, blood (antibodies and leukocytes), stool and urine. To do this, physicians grow special fungal cultures on Sabouraud agar and perform a polymerase chain reaction. The highly contagious Candida krusei fungus is transmitted from person to person (saliva, sexual intercourse, sharing the same towels, etc.) and spreads particularly rapidly in hospitals and nursing institutions, where it finds many people with weakened immune systems. Patients who are or have been treated with immunosuppressants, cortisone and broad-spectrum antibiotics, people with AIDS, cancer, drug addiction, hematological malignancies, transplants, diabetes mellitus and intravenous catheters are particularly at risk. Since Candida krusei infection can be mistaken for a normal bacterial infection, there is a risk that the affected person will be treated with antibiotics – which will make the Candida infection even worse. In extreme cases, the organ may then even fail. To prevent the aggressive yeast fungus from spreading in the body beyond normal levels, a healthy sugar-reduced diet with only a few simple carbohydrates is recommended. Immune-boosting measures and stress reduction can also help prevent Candida krusei from spreading.
Diseases and ailments
Candida krusei causes localized skin and mucosal mycoses. On the skin, candidiasis manifests as a reddish area of skin covered with scales and bordered by a red rim that itches and burns intensely.In the mouth and throat, infection with Candida krusei consists of oral thrush (coating with white circular spots that stand out clearly from the reddened mucous membrane and can be easily wiped off). Denture wearers are particularly at risk of getting oral thrush. The nails can also be attacked and destroyed by the rapidly spreading yeast fungus. Narrow longitudinal stripes usually appear on the fingernails. Babies and incontinent patients who are diapered can develop diaper dermatitis from Candida krusei. In addition, the yeast fungus likes to infect the genital region of men (foreskin and glans) and women (vagina). In 5% of women, chronic Candida krusei infection comes back again and again (4 recurrences per year). Pregnant women, women taking birth control pills, and those who change sexual partners frequently (increased risk of infection) have a high risk of getting the troublesome pelvic infection. Locally effective antifungal drugs are usually used to combat external infestations of Candida krusei. Systemic candidemia, which is very rare, can be treated well with intravenously administered drugs. However, if the yeast fungi spread unhindered throughout the body, candida sepsis can occur in extreme cases. It ends fatally in 7 out of 10 cases. It is problematic that Candida krusei is already resistant to various antifungal drugs, such as mycostatin, micafungin, anidulafungin and caspofungin. Itraconazole and fluconazole are also no longer able to fight the fungus efficiently.