ABSTRACT
Candidiasis refers to infections caused by any of the >150 species of the genus Candida, mainly Candida albicans. The history of candidiasis dates back to the fourth century B.C. Since the 1940s, the frequency and severity of these infections have been increasing sharply as a result of the widespread use of broad spectrum antibiotics, steroids, and other immunosuppressive drugs (1). Candida species are ubiquitous human commensals. They become pathogens in situations where the host’s resistance to infection is lowered locally or systemically. In such circumstances, Candida spp. can cause superficial, locally invasive, or disseminated infection. Candida spp. are the fourth most common cause of bloodstream infections in the United States (2). These bloodstream infections are associated with an estimated annual national cost that ranges from US$200 million to $1 billon (3,4).
