Systemic Candidiasis: Symptoms, Causes & Risk Factors

Systemic candidas is a fungal infection caused by the Candida fungus and can be divided into two types: disseminated candidiasis and candidemia. Candidemia is a fungal infection of the blood; disseminated candidiasis is a fungal infection of a single organ or several organs.

Risk Factors

• People who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation, have recently had a bone marrow or organ transplant, are immunosuppressed or have been hospitalized for an extended period of time are more likely to be diagnosed with systemic candidas.

Symptoms of Systemic Candidas--Candidemia

• Symptoms of candidemia include fever that does not respond to antibiotic treatment, inflammation of the vitreous humor of the eye and septic shock.

Symptoms of Systemic Candidas--Disseminated Candidiasis

• People who have disseminated candidiasis may only have a fever that is not responsive to antibiotics. They may also be in septic shock.

Treatment

• A doctor will prescribe an anti-fungal medication such as fluconazole to treat systemic candidas.

Complications

• According to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, "All forms of disseminated candidiasis should be considered serious, progressive, and potentially fatal."