CANDIDA INFECTION IN HUMANS AND ANIMALS

Abstract

In recent years, both in the field of veterinary and human medicine, there has been an increase in the incidence of systemic mycosis infections, in particular, caused by Candida species. The mycoses of the genus Candida are opportunistic pathogens and can colonize the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract, mouth, esophagus and vagina; causing infections of the mucous membranes and of the deep tissues. These fungal pathogens cause candidiasis in both humans and animals, in fact Candida is the main cause of candidiasis in immunocompromised patients. The most isolated species humans and animals are represented by, Candida albicans for a 70-75% of all cases of candidiasis. In recent decades however seems that also non-albicans Candida (NAC) infections increase significantly with an average, in both species, of 30-60% cases with candidaemia. This is rare disease. A fundamental aspect is the rapid and accurate identification of Candida sp., with increasingly advanced methods, to allow establishing an effective antifungal therapy and reducing the mycosis disease rates.