Candida albicans is a fungus that often colonizes the human body as a commensal without causing any symptoms. Several C. albicans virulence factors have been described in the literature, of which the best known are adhesion to host mucosa cells and secretion of hydrolytic enzymes. The transition from colonization to infection depends not only on the virulence of the fungus, but also on the response of the host to the invasion. This literature review focuses on the different forms of oral candidiasis, and discusses the symptoms, clinical picture and treatment of this disease.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.