What Is Candida Albicans? Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Explained
Updated: 3 days ago
Medically reviewed by Dr. Baraa Alnahhal, MD · Last reviewed: October 2026
Quick Answer: What is Candida albicans?
Candida albicans is the most common species of Candida yeast and naturally lives on the skin, in the mouth and in the intestines. [3] It causes infections such as thrush or vaginal yeast infections only when it overgrows. [3] It is not an STI, and yeast infections are not normally contagious. [3] Antifungal medication treats it, and symptoms usually improve quickly. [3]
Key takeaways
Candida albicans is a harmless fungus that naturally lives in and on your body in small amounts. [3]
It most often lives on your skin, in your mouth, and in your intestines, and it is the most common species of Candida yeast. [3]
Healthy bacteria (your microbiome) normally control the balance and keep the yeast from overgrowing. [3]
When the balance is disrupted, overgrowth can cause infections: skin candidiasis, candidal paronychia, thrush, and vaginal yeast infection. [3]
It is not an STD or STI, and yeast infections are not normally contagious for healthy people. [3]
Treatment is antifungal medication — oral, topical, or IV — prescribed by your healthcare provider, and symptoms usually improve once treatment begins. [3]
What the research says
Candida albicans ranges from common vaginal infections to serious deep infections. A review reports that the diseases caused by C. albicans range from vaginal infections, which affect up to 75% of women at least once in their lifetime, to deep infections in hospitalized patients that lead to high rates of illness and death; it also notes that the yeast may play a role in the persistence or worsening of some chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (Poulain, Crit Rev Microbiol, 2015) [1].
About half of people carry C. albicans as part of their normal flora. A review states that in 50% of the population C. albicans is part of the normal flora, that the gastrointestinal tract is its main reservoir in the body, and that infections develop when the resident microbiota is disrupted, immune function is impaired, or the muco-intestinal barrier is damaged. The commensal relationship lasts as long as the host immune system and the yeast's virulence factors stay in balance (Talapko et al., J Fungi (Basel), 2021) [2].
What Is Candida Albicans?
Candida albicans, a type of yeast, is a fungus that naturally lives in and on your body. It is typically found in small amounts on your skin, in your mouth, and in your intestines. Candida albicans is the most common species of Candida yeast. [3]
Normally, healthy bacteria in your body (your microbiome) control the balance of Candida albicans. But when Candida albicans is off-balance, the yeast can overgrow and cause a fungal infection. [3]
What does it mean if you have Candida albicans?
Candida albicans is a species of yeast. It lives in and on everyone's body — or, more precisely, it lives harmlessly in about half of all people as part of their normal flora. It isn't a problem unless it turns into an infection. If something disrupts the balance of healthy bacteria and Candida albicans in your body, an infection can occur. A fungal infection caused by an overgrowth of yeast is called candidiasis. [3]
Types of Candida Albicans Infections
Candida albicans can cause different types of infection, depending on where it affects your body.
Type of infection | Where it happens | What it looks or feels like |
Cutaneous (skin) candidiasis | Folds of skin, like under your breasts or near your buttocks (including diaper rash) | Raised, red patches |
Candidal paronychia | Nail folds or cuticles | Skin discoloration, pain, and swelling around your nails |
Thrush | Inside your mouth and throat | Raised, white bumps that are painful and irritating |
Vaginal yeast infection | Inside your vagina | Redness, itching, and burning, plus abnormal vaginal discharge |
Is Candida an STD or STI?
Candida albicans is not a sexually transmitted infection. Candida is a type of yeast that naturally lives in and on your body. It can overgrow if the balance of yeast and healthy bacteria in your body changes. The balance of yeast could change as a result of sexual activity, but having sex doesn't cause an infection. [3]
Symptoms: What Candida Albicans Overgrowth Looks Like
In normal situations, Candida albicans won't cause any symptoms. Symptoms will only develop if you have an overgrowth of yeast due to an imbalance of healthy bacteria. [3]
Depending on the location of the infection, symptoms may include:
Symptom | What you may notice |
Skin rash | Red, irritated patches, often in skin folds |
Itching | Persistent itch on the skin or in affected areas |
Blisters | Small fluid-filled bumps on the skin |
Small, raised bumps or patches | Tiny bumps or patches raised above the skin |
Pain, soreness, or discomfort | Achy or sore feeling at the affected site |
Burning sensation | A hot, burning feeling on the skin or in the mouth |
Abnormal vaginal discharge | Discharge that is unusual in color, texture, or amount |
Loss of taste (ageusia) | Reduced or lost ability to taste |
Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) | Trouble moving food or liquid down the throat |
Is Candida albicans contagious?
Normally, yeast infections aren't contagious. But Candida albicans can spread if you have a weakened immune system or you're taking certain medications. [3] If you're healthy, it's unlikely Candida albicans will spread to you.
How Do I Get Rid of Candida Albicans?
Candida albicans is a naturally occurring fungus that lives in and on your body. So you don't want to get rid of it.
If you have an infection, Candida albicans treatment involves antifungal medication. [3] Your healthcare provider will prescribe the appropriate type for your condition.
Antifungal medications come in three main forms:
Form | How it's taken | What it includes |
Oral | Medicine you take by mouth | Tablet, liquid, or lozenge |
Topical | Medicine you apply directly to the affected area | Creams or ointments |
Intravenous (IV) | Medicine you receive through a vein | Used in severe cases |
Your provider will give you directions on how to use the antifungal to make sure the infection clears up and doesn't return.
What Can I Expect If I Have Candida Albicans?
If you're healthy, Candida albicans won't pose any threat to your well-being. If you experience any symptoms of infection, contact your healthcare provider for treatment. In most cases, symptoms will decrease or go away once treatment begins. [3] Be sure to complete treatment as prescribed by your healthcare provider to reduce the risk of the infection returning. [3]
When Should I Contact My Healthcare Provider?
Many different harmless types of fungi live in and on your body, including Candida albicans. But sometimes, yeast multiplies uncontrollably, which can cause a fungal infection. If you develop any symptoms of an infection, talk to your healthcare provider. They'll ask you questions about your symptoms and your medical history. If you have a fungal infection, they'll prescribe antifungal medicine. Getting prompt treatment will relieve your discomfort and help you avoid potential complications. [3]
Conclusion
Candida albicans sounds like something to worry about, but it is simply the most common species of a yeast that already lives on you — on your skin, in your mouth, and in your intestines. Your microbiome normally keeps it under control, and it only causes trouble when that balance tips and the yeast overgrows. When it does, it shows up as familiar, treatable conditions like skin candidiasis, nail fold infection, thrush, and vaginal yeast infection. None of these make it an STD or STI, and yeast infections aren't normally contagious for healthy people. If you notice a rash, itching, burning, white bumps in your mouth, or unusual discharge, a visit to your healthcare provider leads to a straightforward fix: antifungal medication in oral, topical, or IV form, with symptoms usually improving quickly. Completing your full course of treatment keeps the infection from coming back.
If your healthcare team ever needs clear, visual explainers — like the yeast-balance diagram above — browse Rinnit's ready-made designs at infographic templates to communicate health concepts in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Candida albicans?
Candida albicans is a type of yeast (a fungus) that naturally lives in and on your body in small amounts. It is the most common species of Candida yeast. [3]
Where does Candida albicans live on the body?
Candida albicans is typically found on your skin, in your mouth, and in your intestines. [3]
Is Candida albicans harmful?
Not by itself. It lives harmlessly in and on many people's bodies, about half of all people, as part of their normal flora. It only becomes a problem if it overgrows and turns into an infection. [3]
What keeps Candida albicans under control?
Healthy bacteria in your body (your microbiome) normally control the balance of Candida albicans and prevent it from overgrowing. [3]
What happens when the balance is disrupted?
The yeast can overgrow and cause a fungal infection. A fungal infection caused by a yeast overgrowth is called candidiasis. [3]
What is candidiasis?
Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by an overgrowth of yeast, [3] most often Candida albicans.
What types of infections can Candida albicans cause?
Four main types: cutaneous (skin) candidiasis, candidal paronychia (nail fold infection), thrush (mouth and throat), and vaginal yeast infection. [3]
What does skin candidiasis look like?
Cutaneous (skin) candidiasis grows in the folds of your skin, like under your breasts or near your buttocks (including diaper rash), and causes raised, red patches. [3]
What is candidal paronychia?
Candidal paronychia is an infection where yeast collects in your nail folds or cuticles, causing skin discoloration, pain, and swelling around your nails. [3]
What is thrush?
Thrush is an overgrowth of yeast inside your mouth and throat that causes raised, white bumps that are painful and irritating. [3]
What are the signs of a vaginal yeast infection?
Yeast multiplying in the vagina causes redness, itching, and burning, as well as abnormal vaginal discharge. [3]
What symptoms does Candida albicans overgrowth cause?
Depending on the location, symptoms can include skin rash, itching, blisters, small raised bumps or patches, pain or soreness, burning, abnormal vaginal discharge, loss of taste (ageusia), and difficulty swallowing (dysphagia). [3]
Does Candida albicans always cause symptoms?
No. In normal situations it causes no symptoms at all — symptoms only develop with an overgrowth caused by an imbalance of healthy bacteria. [3]
Is Candida albicans an STD or STI?
No. It is a yeast that naturally lives on your body. Sexual activity could change the balance of yeast, but having sex doesn't cause the infection. [3]
Is Candida albicans contagious?
Normally, yeast infections aren't contagious. It can spread if you have a weakened immune system or are taking certain medications, [3] but healthy people are unlikely to catch it.
How do you get rid of Candida albicans?
You don't get rid of the yeast itself — it naturally belongs on your body. You treat the infection with antifungal medication prescribed by your healthcare provider. [3]
What forms does antifungal medication come in?
Three main forms: oral (tablet, liquid, or lozenge taken by mouth), topical (creams or ointments applied directly to the affected area), and intravenous (IV, given through a vein in severe cases). [3]
Who decides which antifungal to use?
Your healthcare provider prescribes the appropriate antifungal type for your specific condition and gives you directions on how to use it so the infection clears up and doesn't return. [3]
How long does treatment take to work?
In most cases, symptoms decrease or go away once treatment begins. [3]
What happens if I stop treatment early?
Not completing treatment raises the risk of the infection returning. Follow your provider's directions and complete the full course as prescribed. [3]
Does Candida albicans threaten my health if I'm otherwise healthy?
No. If you're healthy, Candida albicans won't pose any threat to your well-being. [3]
Who is more likely to get a Candida infection?
People with a weakened immune system and people taking certain medications are more likely to have the yeast spread and cause infection. [3]
What should I do if I have symptoms of a yeast infection?
Contact your healthcare provider for treatment. They'll ask about your symptoms and medical history and prescribe antifungal medicine if you have a fungal infection. [3]
Why is prompt treatment important?
Getting prompt treatment relieves your discomfort and helps you avoid potential complications. [3]
What is ageusia?
Ageusia is the medical term for loss of taste, which can occur with Candida overgrowth in the mouth and throat.
What is dysphagia?
Dysphagia is difficulty swallowing, which can occur with Candida overgrowth in the mouth and throat.
Can Candida albicans cause diaper rash?
Yes. Cutaneous candidiasis can grow near your buttocks and is one cause of diaper rash. [3]
Can I have Candida albicans without knowing it?
Yes. Since it normally lives on your body without causing symptoms, most people carry it without ever noticing.
Will the infection come back after treatment?
If you complete your treatment exactly as prescribed, the risk of the infection returning is reduced. [3]
Where can I learn more about candidiasis?
Reliable overviews are available from public health sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) candidiasis basics page, along with immunology and medical journal references.
Related Reading
References
Poulain D. Candida albicans, plasticity and pathogenesis. Crit Rev Microbiol. 2015;41(2):208-217. PMID: 23962107. https://doi.org/10.3109/1040841X.2013.813904
Talapko J, Juzbašić M, Matijević T, et al. Candida albicans—The Virulence Factors and Clinical Manifestations of Infection. J Fungi (Basel). 2021;7(2):79. PMID: 33499276. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7020079
Cleveland Clinic. Candida Albicans. Cleveland Clinic. Last updated May 13, 2025. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22961-candida-albicans
Medical disclaimer
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition.
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