Medical Term for Yeast in Blood
The medical term for yeast in the blood is "candidaemia" (or "candidemia" in American English), which specifically refers to the presence of any species of the genus Candida in the bloodstream. 1
Terminology and Definition
Candidaemia is formally defined as the presence of any species of the genus Candida in the blood, as established by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) guidelines 1
The broader term "fungemia" can also be used to describe yeast in the blood, though this encompasses all fungal bloodstream infections, not just Candida species 1
When yeast species other than Candida are involved (such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae or other emerging pathogens), the term "fungemia" is more appropriate, as yeasts in blood cultures are not always Candida—up to 5% may be other yeast pathogens 1
Clinical Context
Blood cultures remain essential for diagnosing candidaemia, though conventional methods have limited sensitivity (50-75%) 1
The term applies whether a single Candida species is isolated or multiple species are present simultaneously (mixed fungemia) 2
Species-level identification is mandatory because antifungal therapy varies according to the specific Candida species involved 1
Important Distinction
Growth of Candida species from blood is always considered significant infection requiring antifungal treatment, unlike isolation from non-sterile sites where distinguishing colonization from infection can be challenging 1, 3
A single colony of Candida isolated from blood or other sterile sites must be regarded as clinically significant 1