Explanation

Candida tropicalis (feces): what is measured?

Candida tropicalis is a yeast that lives in the gut and on the mucous membranes of some people, usually without symptoms. In people with a severely weakened immune system, it can, like other Candida species, cause a serious infection; this is diagnosed in hospital, not with stool.

What can it detect?

Presence of yeasts, such as Candida species or Geotrichum, in the stool
Presence of molds, such as Aspergillus or Mucor, which usually come from food or the environment

Result

What does the result mean?

Positive result

A positive result means that the yeast or mold has been found in the stool. In people without symptoms, this is usually normal: yeasts such as Candida are among the usual inhabitants of the mouth, gut and skin, and mold spores enter the gut with food and air. A larger amount also says little. 'Candida overgrowth' of the gut is not an established condition, and it has not been shown that symptoms such as tiredness, a bloated feeling or an irritable bowel are caused by yeasts in the stool. Only in people with a severely weakened immune system, for example after an organ transplant, can a fungus cause a serious infection; this is diagnosed in hospital with other tests.

Negative result

A negative result means that the yeast or mold was not found in this stool sample. This is also a normal result. It does not rule out a fungal infection of the mouth, skin or vagina, because that is assessed at that site. If your bowel symptoms continue, the cause usually lies elsewhere.

After an abnormal result

With a positive result without symptoms, no follow-up is usually needed and there is no treatment with antifungal medicines. With persistent bowel symptoms, the GP looks at other causes, such as an intestinal infection, food hypersensitivity or an irritable bowel.

Reliability

How reliable is the test?

Because yeasts and molds are also found in the stool of healthy people, the result does not distinguish between normal presence and disease, in people without symptoms and also with bowel symptoms. The amount depends strongly on what you have eaten, on medicines and on how long the sample was in transit. According to the Dutch GP guideline (NHG) on irritable bowel syndrome, as summarized on Thuisarts.nl, an irritable bowel is usually diagnosed based on the symptoms and a physical examination.

What can affect the result?

Antibiotics, stomach acid inhibitors and antifungal medicines change the amount of yeasts in the gut.
Food containing yeast or mold, such as bread, beer, cheese or moldy food, can affect the result.
A sample that has been in transit for a long time or has become warm can show more or less growth than there was in the gut.
Culture methods, cutoff values and the way of reporting differ per laboratory.

Who it is for

Who is the test useful for?

Useful for

Because yeasts and molds occur in the gut of many healthy people, the result says little, without symptoms and also with symptoms such as tiredness, a bloated feeling or an irritable bowel. With diarrhea that lasts longer than 2 weeks, the GP mainly has the stool tested for bacteria and parasites that cause intestinal infections. A fungal infection that makes you seriously ill occurs almost only in people with a severely weakened immune system and is then diagnosed in hospital.

How common is it?

According to Thuisarts.nl, many people have the yeast Candida on their skin and mucous membranes without having symptoms from it. How often yeasts and molds are found in the stool of healthy Dutch people has not been recorded in a Dutch source. Serious fungal infections of organs occur almost only in people with a severely weakened immune system in hospital.

Thuisarts.nl and the SWAB guideline on invasive fungal infections

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