What is the Difference Between Candida Albicans and Non-albicans

The main difference between Candida albicans and non-albicans is that Candida albicans cause the fungal infection, candidiasis, whereas Candida non-albicans are harmless commensals and endosymbionts of humans.

Candida albicans and Candida non-albicans are two types of Candida species. They are yeasts that cause the most common type of fungal infections in humans.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Candida Albicans
     – Definition, Features, Importance
2. What are Candida Non-albicans
     – Definition, Features, Importance
3. Similarities – Candida Albicans and Non-albicans
     – Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Candida Albicans and Non-albicans
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Candida Albicans, Candida Non-albicans

What is Candida Albicans

Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogenic yeast in the Family of Saccharomycetaceae. It is a common member of human gut flora. Candida albicans is a commensal organism that becomes an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised individuals. It is one of the few species of Candida that cause candidiasis, which results in the overgrowth of the fungus. C. albicans is a dimorphic organism that grows as yeast and filamentous cells. The other morphological phenotypes of the fungus include opaque, GUT, and pseudohyphal forms. In addition, C. albicans is an obligate diploid organism that lacks a haploid phase. In the opaque form, C. albicans occurs in the tetraploid form.

Figure 1: Candida Albicans

Furthermore, C. albicans is a model organism for fungal pathogens. The genome size of the fungus is 29 Mb. Meanwhile, 70% of the genome contains protein-coding genes. C. albicans mainly occurs in the skin, mouth, and the gut. The infection of it is like a thrush. Antifungal medications are important in preventing fungal Candida infections. When the balance between healthy bacteria and C. albicans is disrupted, the fungus starts to overgrow, causing infections. 

What are Candida Non-albicans

Candida non-albicans are the fungi occurring in the genus Candida other than Candida albicans. They are yeasts that are the most common cause of fungal infections in humans. There are around 200 Candida non-albican species. However, many Candida non-albicans are non-pathogenic and do not cause infections. They live as commensals, mostly in the gut flora. They are also endosymbionts. In the disruptions of the mucosal membrane and in immunocompromised individuals, non-albicans cause opportunistic infections. In addition, they live close to the mucosal membranes of humans in the GI tract and in the skin.

Figure 2: Candida Spores

Moreover, antibiotics promote the infections of fungi, and Candida overgrows and penetrates the mucosal membranes of the GI tract. Meanwhile, women are more susceptible to yeast infections in the genital area. Another significant feature of Candida non-albicans is the fermentation of glucose and lactose. In agar plates, Candida species appear in large, round, white, or cream colour colonies. They also produce a characteristic yeast smell.

Similarities Between Candida Albicans and Non-albicans

• Candida albicans and Candida non-albicans are the two types of fungus in the genus Candida.
• They belong to the family Saccharomycetaceae.
• They mainly occur in the gut flora.
• They are the common reason for infections in humans.

Difference Between Candida Albicans and Non-albicans

Definition

Candida albicans refers to an opportunistic fungal pathogen of humans while Candida non-albicans refers to the fungal species of the genus Candida other than C. albicans.

Pathogenicity                       

Candida albicans cause a fungal infection called candidiasis, while many Candida non-albicans are harmless commensals.

Fermentation

Moreover, candida albicans ferment only glucose, while Candida non-albicans ferment glucose and lactose.    

Conclusion                                                     

In brief, candida albicans and Candida non-albicans are two types of fungi that occur in the genus Candida. They belong to the family Saccharomycetaceae. Candida mainly occurs in the gut flora. However, Candida albicans are opportunistic fungal pathogens in humans, causing the disease candidiasis. Moreover, Candida albicans ferment only glucose. In comparison, Candida non-albicans are commensals of humans. In addition to that, they ferment both glucose and lactose. Therefore, the main difference between Candida albicans and Candida non-albicans is their pathogenicity.

References:                

1. Candida albicans: Infections, symptoms & treatments. Cleveland Clinic. 
2. Non-albicans candida infections. DermNet. 

Image Courtesy:

1. “Candida albicans” By Y tambe – Own work (CC-BY SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Candida spores and pseudohyphae” By Dr Graham Beards – Own Work (CC-BY SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia