What medical test can detect Candida?

The answer

Candida is a form of yeast that lives on most people’s skin without problem or need for treatment. Sometimes it can ‘over’ grow and cause disease, such as vaginal or mouth soreness. In these circumstances it can be easily treated with a cream or tablet. This happens when a person is on antibiotics or is immune-compromised, such as during chemotherapy or HIV infection. Candida is only tested for when a person has the relevant symptoms and the test is a simple swab. There is no reason a doctor would not mention such a test.  A positive test result could came back unexpectedly when testing for something else, for example after a routine smear test.