The Yale journal of biology and medicine
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The increased number of vaginal yeast infections in the past few years has been a disturbing trend, and the scientific community has been searching for its etiology. Several theories have been put forth to explain the apparent increase. First, the recent widespread availability of low-dosage, azole-based over-the-counter antifungal medications for vaginal yeast infections encourages women to self-diagnose and treat, and women may be misdiagnosing themselves. ⋯ Second, medical technology has increased the life span of seriously immune compromised individuals, yet these individuals are frequently plagued by opportunistic fungal infections. Long-term and intense azole-based antifungal treatment has been linked to an increase in resistant Candida and non-Candida species. Thus, the future of limiting antifungal resistance lies in identifying the factors promoting resistance and implementing policies to prevent it.