Yeast infections are very common. About 75 percent of women have one during their lives. And almost half of women have two or more vaginal yeast infections. The infection is caused by a fungus called Candida albicans. This a widespread organism found worldwide. It lives in small amounts in the vagina, the mouth, the digestive tract, and on the skin without causing disease or symptoms (approximately 25% of women without disease symptoms have this organism present).
Common symptoms start to appear when the number of Candida albicans becomes larger compared to the other microorganisms. Candida albicans develops when the vagina has favorable conditions and when it is difficult for other microorganisms to survive. This causes an imbalance that leads to a yeast infection.
It is extremely common for a yeast infection to follow a course of antibiotics that were prescribed for another illness. Antibiotics can change the normal balance between organisms by decreasing the number of protective bacteria.
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