Candida species are disease-inducing microbes that apparently occur in 85% of the population. They can lead to the unpleasant health condition of chronic yeast infection (chronic candidiasis). By their opportunist nature, they only lead to chronic yeast infection in certain instances.

Naturally occurring Candida exist in excess of 100 species, but only a quarter of them are recognized as causing human yeast infection. The most common strain is Candida albicans, and then Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, Candida tropicalis, and Candida parapsilosis. The yeast infection rates are: Candida albicans - about four out of five; yeast Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, and other kinds of fungi - one out of five.

Yeast microbes live in the moist and warm areas like the mouth, the vagina, the bowels and the rectum. They are typically found in a good percentage of healthy people. Held at bay by probiotics, favorable microorganisms, yeast microbes have few negative effects on a healthy person. Nevertheless, they multiply fast when infection takes hold.

Candidiasis can be quickened by particular conditions out of the ordinary. These conditions are typically determined by the subtype of the yeast infection. For example: antibiotics, pregnancy, contraceptive pills, or hormone replacement therapy may hasten vaginal candidiasis, whereas insufficient personal hygiene can bring about yeast infection in males. The process may thus be the result of abnormal concentration of yeast microbes, above all in moist and warm areas of the surface of the body. However stress or an excess of weight can also push up the chance of yeast infection. In addition, weak immunity systems can be a cause in general of continuing yeast infections due to any subtype.

The data below concern yeast infections:

1. Three out of four women suffer a vaginal candidiasis, the most often observed, at least once in their life. As many as two out of five women have recurring or long duration yeast infections.

2. According to certain research, it is the age group of 21-30 that is most at risk from chronic yeast infection, and then the age group of 11-20.

3. Whether it's physical or emotional, stress can debilitate your immune system and boost the danger to you of colds and herpes. This can favor yeast cultivation too.

4. Because the yeast microbe is most active in conditions of warmth and moisture, hot weather favors the occurrence of chronic yeast infection.

5. Candidiasis can also be brought on by particular foods such as yeast foods, refined carbohydrates, candy, dairy products (difficult to digest, lactose laden with chemicals for hormone growth as well as favoring mucus) and wines (glucose laden).

6. In research done in the last ten years of the twentieth century at New York's Long Island Jewish Medical Center, it was observed that women having consumed a cup of yogurt on a daily basis for half a year could reduce the onset of chronic yeast infections by a factor of three. The theory however lacked sufficient data as only 13 women finished the study. Other research indicates that eating live strains of lactobacillus acidophilus either as supplements or as a yogurt can help to stop yeast infections.

The subtypes of candidiasis that occur the most are:

1. Candida vaginal infections: forming inside the vulva or the vagina. This is the kind of chronic infection encountered the most often.

2. Oral thrush: developing in the mouth and most often seen in individuals with very weak immune systems, including babies.

3. Baby thrush (nappy rash): responsible for rashes around the diaper area.

4. Male yeast infection: affects the glans penis, causing a rash.

5. Paronychia (infections of the underlying tissue of the nail): this type of yeast infection habitually appears next to the fingernail.

Note that each subtype of candidiasis is of a different kind. Other candida infections can happen practically anywhere in the body, frequently in folds of the skin: under the arms or the breasts, in between toes and so forth.

In certain instances, yeast infections can attack other parts of the body. This may be indicative of serious imbalance internally of the body. However usually, candidiasis is without lasting consequence, easily remedied and do not lead to serious health conditions. In many cases, yeast infections will disappear after a time without requiring medication.

The manifestation of the symptoms of candidiasis needs professional advice from a qualified physician. Chronic yeast infections may be just a symptom of more serious problems, such as sexually transmitted diseases with similar symptoms, leukemia, diabetes and AIDS, just to give a few examples.

As excessive multiplication of Candida is the root of almost all yeast infections, failure to sort out the internal problem that is responsible for the symptom of discharge, rash or other related to Candida, will not prevent these symptoms fro recurring after a while. Although chronic yeast infections can be treated using over the counter medication or a prescription at home, remember that virtually all such infections are an alarm signal of a severe internal problem that should be correctly treated. In addition, failure to treat the internal problems causing the yeast related symptoms could also lead to severe health complications.