Body and biology
What Is Candida? Yeast on Labels and Lab Reports
Candida · say it: KAN-dih-duhAlso written: Candida albicans, yeast, thrush yeast
Short answer
Candida is a type of yeast (a fungus) that normally lives on the skin and in the mouth, gut and vagina, and can sometimes overgrow and cause infection.
What it means
Candida is a group of yeasts, which are tiny fungi. Candida albicans is the most common one. It lives harmlessly in small amounts on the skin and in the mouth, gut and vagina, kept in balance by the immune system and normal bacteria. When that balance is upset, candida can overgrow and cause infections such as thrush.
Candida appears on medicine labels because some medicines make overgrowth more likely. Antibiotics can reduce the normal bacteria that keep yeast in check; inhaled steroids can lead to mouth thrush, which is why labels advise rinsing the mouth after use; and SGLT2 diabetes medicines raise the chance of genital yeast infections. Antifungal medicine labels name candida as the organism they treat.
Candida the organism is different from candidiasis, the infection it can cause. A lab report showing 'Candida' on a swab may mean infection or just normal presence, which your doctor interprets with your symptoms.
Where you may see it
- Antifungal medicine labels ('treats infections caused by Candida')
- Inhaled steroid leaflets advising rinsing the mouth
- Swab and culture reports from the lab
📄 How it looks on a report
Candida albicans isolated. Scanty growth.
🙅 What it does not mean
- Finding candida on a swab does not always mean infection; it can be part of the normal body flora.
- Candida is not a sign of poor hygiene.
- Online 'candida cleanses' are not the same as medical treatment for a confirmed infection.
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Candida”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Azithromycin
a macrolide antibacterial (antibiotic) medicine
- Cephalexin
a cephalosporin antibacterial medicine (an antibiotic that treats bacterial infections)
- Clindamycin Phosphate
A lincosamide antibacterial medicine
- Dapagliflozin
a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, a type of diabetes medicine
- Doxycycline
a tetracycline-class antibacterial medicine (an antibiotic)
- Empagliflozin
a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, a prescription medicine that works on sugar handling in the kidneys
- Estradiol
An estrogen hormone medicine
- Fluconazole
an azole antifungal medicine, a type of medicine that treats fungal (yeast) infections
- Fluticasone Propionate
A corticosteroid, which is a steroid medicine, given as a nasal spray
- Metronidazole
An antimicrobial medicine of the nitroimidazole type, used to treat certain bacterial and parasitic infections
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Candida” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
- NCI Dictionary definition ↗
US National Cancer Institute: “yeast”
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General information about a medical word, not advice about your own results. Ask the clinician who ordered the test what it means for you.