CANDIDA INFECTION

A vaginal yeast infection is not considered to be a sexually transmitted infection, but the fungus that causes the inflammation may be transmitted during oral-genital contact. The good news is that treatment is simple and, if followed correctly, usually effective. An overgrowth of yeast in the body may be caused by any of the following: antibiotics, diabetes, impaired immune system, douching and even pregnancy.

Female Pharmacy customer: Hello. Could we go somewhere where, you know no-one can hear us? You see I have rather a private problem.
PTA: Hello. Of course, I’ll just let my colleague know that I’m in the side office.

Of course, no problem! Thank you.
So, what can I do for you?

Well, you see, I think I may have a vaginal yeast infection.
I see. Why do you think so?

I mean what symptoms do you have? Well, the genital area is very red and the itchiness there is unbearable.
Do you have any discharge?

Yes.
Could you describe the discharge?

Yes, it’s, well it looks like cottage cheese, you know, whitish and crumbly.
Could I ask you one or two more questions before I recommend anything to you?

Go ahead.
Are you pregnant?

No, I am sure that I’m not.
Do you have diabetes?

No, why?
Well, when female diabetics’ blood sugar levels are not properly under control, it may lead to an overgrowth in the Candida fungus. Have you had any antibiotics recently?

Yes, I’m just over a very persistent bout of bacterial pneumonia. I had to take antibiotics for almost a week. I think the antibiotics took more out of me than the pneumonia!
I think the antibiotics may be the cause of the yeast infection.

I know they have an effect on the intestinal flora, but I didn’t know that they could have an effect on the rest of the body!
You see most antibiotics also kill other bacteria aside from the pneumonia, especially in the vaginal area. It’s not at all unusual for women to get such infections after a course of antibiotics.

So, what can you recommend?
Just a moment, I’ll go and get one of the most effective preparations for such infections. Here it is.

And how do I use it?
This antifungal cream will soothe the itching and deal with the outer genital area. And these are vaginal tablets that deal with the inside. I recommend that you place the tablet into the vagina before going to bed, and do this for three evenings in a row. If you don’t see any improvement, I recommend you go to a gynaecologist.

Thank you so much.
Not at all! You are welcome.

Thanks all the same. Goodbye!
Bye!

Vocabulary
Candida Gattung der Hefepilze
yeast Hefe
vaginal mycoses Vaginalmykosen
transmitted übertragen
fungus Pilz
inflammation Entzündung
overgrowth übermäßiges Wachstum
impaired beeinträchtigt
douching Scheidenspülung
itchiness Juckreiz
unbearable unerträglich
discharge Ausfluss
cottage cheese Hüttenkäse, körniger Frischkäse
properly richtig
persistent hartnäckig, anhaltend
bout Anfall im Sinne von Infekt
pneumonia Lungenentzündung, Pneumonie
intestinal flora Darmflora
antifungal antimykotisch
soothe beruhigen
three evenings in a row  drei Abende hintereinander

Den Artikel finden Sie auch in Die PTA IN DER APOTHEKE 01/14 auf Seite 48.

Catherine Croghan, Lecturer in English and native speaker