Genital candidosis

Abstract

Vaginal thrush is a condition that has been known to medicine for well over a century. Over the years it has received considerable clinical and laboratory attention, Candida albicans, by far the predominant cause of thrush, has been scrutinized in fine detail by biochemists, microbiologists and immunologists. A plethora of antifungals formulated for intravaginal use has been made available to combat the infection. Yet vaginal candidosis remains one of the most common gynaecological complaints in Europe and North America. Its diagnosis is usually simple, but its treatment can be extremely difficult. There is still doubt as to the major epidemiological and pathological factors involved in the aetiology of the infection, so the reasons for failure by some patients to respond to treatment are uncertain. Meanwhile, candidosis of the penis, which appears to have about one‐tenth the prevalence of vaginal candidosis, has attracted very little research interest at all. This article will describe aspects of genital candidosis that have been the subject of research in recent years. Copyright © 1982, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved