Candida species

Candida species are a group of opportunistic pathogenic yeasts that are part of the normal human microbiota but can cause disease when host defenses are compromised. There are at least 15 distinct species known to cause human disease; however, over 90% of invasive infections are due to five main pathogens—most notably *Candida albicans*, but also *C. glabrata*, *C. parapsilosis*, *C. tropicalis*, and *C. krusei*. These fungi can cause superficial mucosal infections as well as life-threatening systemic diseases such as candidemia and disseminated candidiasis. The genus is taxonomically complex and polyphyletic; some species currently classified under "Candida" may be reassigned based on ongoing phylogenetic studies[2]. The pathogenesis involves both commensal colonization and opportunistic infection when immune defenses fail or the microbiome is disrupted. Therapeutic targeting is directed at the organism itself rather than a specific molecular target within it—thus "Candida species" does not refer to a single protein or receptor but rather an entire group of organisms with diverse biology. Treatment relies on antifungal drugs that exploit differences between fungal cells and mammalian cells—primarily targeting components like ergosterol in the cell membrane or glucan in the cell wall. Drug resistance among Candida species is an increasing concern globally; multidrug-resistant strains such as certain isolates of *C. glabrata* and emerging pathogens like *C. auris* present significant therapeutic challenges requiring careful drug selection based on susceptibility testing[7]. Notes: “Candida species” refers collectively to multiple related fungi—not a single molecule/receptor/target—and thus does **not fit standard definitions for “therapeutic target”**, which typically refer to proteins or other discrete biological molecules. This makes it **incorrect as a molecular drug target entry**, though it remains highly relevant clinically for infectious disease management.[2]

Other names

CandidaCandida spp.Yeast (when referring to pathogenic yeast)

Inhibition of ergosterol synthesis in fungal cell membrane by azoles Inhibition of β-(1,3)-D-glucan synthesis in fungal cell wall by echinocandins Binding to ergosterol and disrupting membrane integrity by polyenes