Candida infections today--how big is the problem?

Thirty years ago, superficial fungal infections were common, but systemic fungal infections were not as frequent as today. Since that time incidence in both superficial and systemic fungal infection has been increasing. The reasons are many. Due to advances in medicine, human life span is extended and many people suffer from various immunodeficiencies. Transplantation of organs and tissues, wide application of parenteral feeding and parenteral administration of drugs, infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and long-term peroral administration of antibiotics are the main reasons for appearance of many immunologic dysfunctions and thereby systemic fungal infections. The most usual predisposing factors for systemic fungal infection are skin and mucosal damage, hypofunction of T-cell-mediated immunity, decreased function of neutrophiles, long-term administration of corticosteroids, as well as dysfunction of microbial flora. Systemic fungal infections are a great problem, because they are very difficult to prove and to treat. This is why prevention of systemic infections is extremely important today, including the removal of predisposing factors as well as rational drug administration.