The Connection Between Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Candida
Early studies confirm the relationship between candida and inflammatory lesions
In a 2010 study published in the journal, Trends in Immunology, researchers took a look at the genetic link between candida and Crohn’s disease. They identified a protein called NLRP3 as being one of the body’s defense mechanisms against candida overgrowth. While activating the protein can prevent the growth and spreading of the candida infection, a defect in its mechanism can open the gastrointestinal mucosa to microbes, such as Candida albicans.
This, in turn, leads to the formation of inflammatory lesions, as seen in Crohn’s disease. Another study analyzed the inflamed mucosal intestinal lining of patients with Crohn’s disease and compared it with parts of the gastrointestinal tract that were not inflamed. The researchers found that that parts of the gastrointestinal tract that were inflamed had a presence of Candida albicans and two additional fungal growths – Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus clavatus.