Given that C. albicans colonises host surfaces at such a high prevalence, infections are unsurprisingly often endogenous
(6), occurring when there is an ecological shift in the microbiological community, frequently due to debilitation in the host’s immune system. Receipt of a broad-spectrum antibiotic, a high frequency intake of carbohydrates, hormonal imbalances, and poor nutrition may also be contributory factors. Interestingly, in the case of oral candidosis four clinically distinct forms of infection are recognised (Fig. 1) and these could reflect different forms of interaction between the colonising Candida and
host epithelium.