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Up to three-quarters of all women will experience a genital yeast infection at least once in their lives. Recurrent infections, in particular, can significantly impair quality of life. The typical symptoms—such as itching, burning, and pain—are caused not only by the yeast Candida albicans, but, more importantly, by an excessive immune response. But why is the immune reaction in these cases so intense and persistent? An international research team led by the Leibniz-HKI has now uncovered how the host protein albumin fuels the inflammatory cascade while simultaneously shielding the fungal pathogen from the immune system. The findings have been published in Nature Communications.

The yeast fungus Candida albicans is a common and usually harmless inhabitant of the mucous membranes in many people. Under certain conditions, however, it can trigger infections. One such example is vulvovaginal candidiasis, an infection of the vagina and the external genital area (vulva), commonly referred to as a vaginal yeast infection. The associated symptoms are largely caused by the immune response to the fungus: The body's defense cells migrate into the affected mucous membrane, where they can initiate an inflammatory reaction.

This process increases the permeability of blood vessels, allowing not only immune components but also albumin—the most abundant protein in human blood—to enter the surrounding tissue. In an earlier study , the research group led by Dr. Mark Gresnigt at the Leibniz-HKI demonstrated that albumin can enhance the pathogenic properties of Candida albicans.

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