The interactions of Candida albicans with gut bacteria: a new strategy to prevent and treat invasive intestinal candidiasis

BACKGROUND: The gut microbiota plays an important role in human health, as it can affect host immunity and susceptibility to infectious diseases. Invasive intestinal candidiasis is strongly associated with gut microbiota homeostasis. However, the nature of the interaction between Candida albicans and gut bacteria remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to determine the nature of interaction and the effects of gut bacteria on C. albicans so as to comprehend an approach to reducing intestinal invasive infection by C. albicans. METHODS: This review examined 11 common gut bacteria’s interactions with C. albicans, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Helicobacter pylori, Lactobacillus spp., Bacteroides spp., Clostridium difficile, and Streptococcus spp. RESULTS: Most of the studied bacteria demonstrated both synergistic and antagonistic effects with C. albicans, and just a few bacteria such as P. aeruginosa, Salmonella spp., and Lactobacillus spp. demonstrated only antagonism against C. albicans. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the nature of interactions reported so far by the literature between gut bacteria and C. albicans, it is expected to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of invasive intestinal candidiasis.