Candida tropicalis is a pathogenic strain of Candida. The fungus can cause various systemic and non-systemic fungal infections in the body.
What is Candida tropicalis?
Candida tropicalis, just like its well-known relative Candida albicans, is a yeast fungus. It belongs to the Saccharomycetes class and the order of true yeasts. The fungus is an asexual Candida strain. Approximately 10 percent of all systemic fungal infections are caused by Candida tropicalis. When Candida tropicalis is grown on agar, it appears as a white-cream colored colony. It is glabrous or slightly wrinkled and yeast-like. The edge of the yeast colony is surrounded by mycelium. The individual fungal cells are spherical and resemble baker’s yeast. Just like Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis belongs to the human pathogenic Candida strains. This means that the yeast fungus can cause infections in humans. People who have a suppressed (lowered) immune system are particularly at risk. Especially in people with HIV infection or cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, the fungus can often spread unhindered in the body.
Occurrence, distribution, and characteristics
Candida tropicalis is a yeast fungus that occurs ubiquitously. It is comfortable in soil as well as in feces. Candida tropicalis also enters food and beverages via fertilizers or through soil. Candida tropicalis is particularly common on shrimp, kefir, in water, in wine, on fish, in cocoa, on fruits and berries, in jam, and in yogurt. Candida tropicalis enters the human body through the consumption of these contaminated foods. Whether Candida tropicalis is also found in the intestines of healthy people is controversial. Some researchers say that Candida tropicalis is part of the normal intestinal flora. Other researchers assume that the fungus is merely part of the transient flora. A transient is a microorganism that merely passes through the intestine but does not settle in the gut. Normally, intestinal bacteria such as Escherichia coli or lactobacilli prevent foreign germs from settling. However, if the intestinal flora is disturbed, fungi can spread in the intestine and cause mycosis (fungal infection).
Diseases and ailments
People who have large amounts of Candida tropicalis in the gastrointestinal tract show symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain. Normally, Candida tropicalis remains exclusively in the intestine. However, the infection can quickly spread throughout the body if the immune system is compromised. In the process, the fungi penetrate the inflamed intestinal mucosa and thus enter the bloodstream. From there, they spread throughout the body. Candida tropicalis is a major cause of sepsis (blood poisoning) and systemic candidiasis. Candidiasis, also known as candidosis, is a collective term for infectious diseases caused by Candida tropicalis or Candida albicans. Systemic candidiasis mainly affects patients with leukemia, diabetes mellitus and lymphoma. The yeasts often settle in the urogenital tract, where they cause urinary tract infections with symptoms such as burning during urination, discharge and pain when going to the toilet. Sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses) is also caused by the fungi when the immune system is suppressed. Typical symptoms of sinusitis are headache and fatigue. Candida tropicalis can also manifest in the respiratory tract. Serious respiratory problems may develop if the lungs are infected. Other sites of infection commonly affected by Candida mycosis include the oral mucosa under dentures, the genital mucosa, nail folds, and conjunctivae. On the skin, the fungus appears as severe redness with itching. A wipeable whitish coating forms on the mucous membranes. In vaginal fungal infection, affected women suffer from vaginal discharge and itching. The mucosal damage leads to pain during sexual intercourse and pain during urination. In men, if the glans is infected with fungus, balanitis develops. This may result in purulent secretion. The glans is swollen and painful. Superficial candidiasis usually heals quite easily. If organs are affected, however, the infection can be life-threatening. Sepsis is particularly feared. Colloquially, sepsis is also called blood poisoning.It is a systemic inflammatory response of the body to infection with Candida tropicalis. In the course of sepsis, the vital function of one or more organs is severely disrupted. Eventually, life-threatening multiple organ failure occurs. The prognosis is rather poor even with immediate therapy. Almost half of all patients die despite treatment. Due to the risk of sepsis, treatment of infections with Candida tropicalis is carried out at an early stage. Antifungal drugs such as voriconazole, caspofungin or fluconazole are used for this purpose. Over-the-counter nystatin can also be used for treatment. However, there are some strains that are now resistant to nystatin. Since Candida tropicalis has a much higher virulence than Candida albicans, the fungal strain has gained in clinical importance. Various methods are used for diagnosis. Cultures can be established. If this is done, a fungal antibiogram is recommended. The fungal antibiogram shows which antifungal agents the yeast reacts to. The diagnosis can also be made using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR is performed in medical and biological laboratories and is used to detect fungal diseases. Samples of blood, saliva, urine, a vaginal swab or nails are needed for testing. Samples can also be taken from stool or sinus fluid.
