Probiotics for oral and vulvovaginal candidiasis: A review.

ABSTRACT

Dermatologists commonly prescribe medications such as antibiotics and corticosteroids that can increase the risk for candidiasis. Though conventional antifungals are often effective against candidiasis, they are not without side effects and species of Candida are gaining resistance. Probiotics help treat conditions such as post-antibiotic diarrhea and infectious diarrhea, and thus have the potential to help with Candida infections, as well. For this reason, we provide an overview of therapies prescribed in dermatology that may increase the risk for candidiasis, and we review the literature on whether probiotics are useful in the treatment and prevention of oral and vulvovaginal candidiasis to help dermatologists treating the condition be better informed about their supplemental use with conventional antifungals.