Recurrent candida or in medical terms recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) is a severe and long-lasting problem for millions of women each year, causing enormous physical discomfort and emotional stress. ^{Denning, Bradfeld Strydom} This common infection disrupts daily life and has wide-ranging effects on women’s overall well-being, health, and relationships. Due to the sensitive nature of these infections, women often remain alone in their suffering, feeling less confident, having lower self-esteem, and experiencing less intimacy. ^Donders  Studies show that women affected by this condition often feel ashamed, face stigma, and have trouble being productive, emphasizing how deeply it affects every aspect of their health and well-being. ^{Bradfeld Strydom}

Affected women experience moderate to severe symptoms that are embarrassing, stressful and cause frustration and even hopelessness. The silent stigma goes beyong the common physical symptoms like itching and discomfort, causing women to feel less confident, affecting their physical activities and sports and leisure, and causing tension in their sexual relationships. Many also worry about feeling unclean and getting infections from their partners. ^Denning

There isn’t much scientific proof backing up the longstanding recommendations regarding lifestyle changes. Even when women try to adjust things like hygiene, exercise, underwear choice, lubricants, and routines after sex, a lot of them still have recurring symptoms. While these lifestyle changes might help manage symptoms somewhat, they can also cause inconvenience affecting social interactions and family relationships. ^{Bradfeld Strydom}

Women with recurrent candida infection have worse health outcomes compared to unaffected women, both during and in between infection episodes. Studies show that these women are less happy with their overall health and see their physical and mental well-being in a more negative light than women who are unaffected. Recurrent infection affects women in the workplace and they may have trouble maintaining their job or staying financially stable because they often miss work due to their infections, ^Donders

The millions of women affected by candidiasis and the wide-ranging and negative effects that it has on their health must serve as an indicator that women deserve better solutions and higher-quality care. ^Denning  It’s crucial to accurately diagnose recurrent candida, choose the right treatment, and educate women to stick to their treatment plans, which is challenging given the fact that once women stop treatment, infections keep coming back. There has been little innovation for women in this space for many years and given the limited  treatment options new and innovative treatments are urgently needed, ones that work well, have minimal side effects, and offer long-lasting benefits. Most importantly women need options that can give them hope and allow them to thrive.^Donders

References:

• Denning DW, Kneale M, Sobel JD, Rautemaa-Richardson R. Global burden of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis: a systematic review. Lancet Infect Dis. 2018;18(11):e339-e347. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(18)30103-8
• Bradfield Strydom M, Walpola RL, McMillan S, Khan S, Ware RS, Tiralongo E. Lived experience of medical management in recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis: a qualitative study of an uncertain journey. BMC Womens Health. 2022;22(1):384. doi: 10.1186/s12905-022-01973-x
• Donders G, Sziller IO, Paavonen J, Hay P, de Seta F, Bohbot JM, et al. Management of recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis: Narrative review of the literature and European expert panel opinion. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2022;12:934353. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.934353