21 Aug 2018

Yeast infection, a common genital fungal infection, also known as candidiasis, is preventable and curable, says Kanye District Health Management Team’s senior medical officer, Dr Dick Mpitika. 

In an interview, Dr Mpitika said most of the yeast infections were caused by a yeast species called Candida Albicans, emphasising that it can be vaginal or penile candidiasis. 

He explained that eating food such as yoghurt may help prevent yeast infection since they contained healthy bacteria normally found in the body (probiotics). 

“Keeping the vaginal area dry and avoiding douching and irritating chemicals such as feminine deodorant, scented tampons or pads can help prevent vaginitis caused by yeast,” he said. 

Dr Mpitika said wearing cotton underwear or underwear with a cotton crotch, wearing loose-fitting pants may also reduce the chance of getting yeast infection, adding proper use of condoms can also help in preventing transmission of a yeast infection from women to men. 

He however said yeast infections caused by other types of Candida could be more difficult to treat. 

He encouraged people to avoid having sex when a woman had symptoms of yeast infection to avoid spreading of the infection. 

He said a healthy vagina contains a balanced mix of yeast and bacteria, but if there is imbalance in the body system, these bacteria would not work effectively and this condition could be favourable for the yeast cells to multiply and cause vaginal candidiasis. 

He listed vaginal itching, swelling around the vagina, pain or burning when urinating, pain during sexual intercourse, soreness of the vagina or vulva, vaginal irritation and rash as the symptoms of yeast infection. 

“The tell-tale symptom is the thick whitish-grey and clumpy vaginal discharge which looks like cottage cheese,” he said. 

He said other factors that could cause yeast infection includes hormonal imbalance, weak immune system, diabetes, malnutrition, chemotherapy for cancer, antibiotics which can decrease the amount of good bacteria (lactobacillus) in the vagina, pregnancy, stress and lack of sleep, among others. 

“It is possible for a woman to transmit a yeast infection to a male sex partner, even though yeast infection is not considered to be a true sexually-transmitted infection (STI) because it can affect women who are not sexually active.” 

However, Dr Mpitika encouraged people to always use protection during sexual intercourse so as to prevent STIs. 

He said people should visit health facilities when they see changes in their bodies, emphasising that prevention is better than cure. 

He encouraged people to always treat STIs, adding that untreated sexual infection could lead to inflammation of fallopian tubes, blocked urethra and cause infertility.

STIs can also lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, which is characterised by low abdominal pains, yellowish or brownish vaginal discharge while in male it is characterised by urethral discharge and the colour of the discharge depends on the type of pathogen that caused the infection. 

He advised people to always use condoms and be faithful to their partners to avoid transmission of infections, which could end up leading to one contracting HIV. ENDS