RT null
T1 Candida albicans colonization of the gastrointestinal tract: A double-edged sword
A1 Alonso Monge, Rebeca María Del Mar
A1 Gresnigt, Mark S
A1 Román González, Elvira
A1 Hube, Bernhard
A1 Pla Alonso, Jesús
AB Candida albicans is not only a common commensal of the vaginal and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of humans, but also an important cause of infections worldwide and is therefore considered an opportunistic pathogen. C. albicans can cause superficial but also more severe, frequently life-threatening, systemic infections. The latter may occur when the microbiota is disturbed and immune defenses are compromised, thus allowing the dissemination of the fungus from commensal pools, in particular the GIT, to vital organs. Therefore, gastrointestinal C. albicans colonization can be seen as a predisposing factor of life-threatening infections. However, recent evidence indicates that commensal coexistence of C. albicans with the human host is not only detrimental. In fact, beneficial effects of C. albicans colonization to human health, most likely, have been an evolutionary pressure for its establishment as a commensal. Here, we review recent studies that demonstrate both beneficial and detrimental effects of this pathobiont to human health upon colonization of the human gut.
PB Pearls
YR 2021
FD 2021
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/129407
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/129407
LA eng
NO Alonso-Monge R, Gresnigt MS, Román E, et al. Candida albicans colonization of the gastrointestinal tract: A double-edged sword. PLoS Pathog 2021;17:e1009710. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1009710
NO Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España)
NO Comunidad de Madrid
NO Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - DFG
NO DFG under Germany’s Excellence Strategy
DS Docta Complutense
RD 19 mar 2026