Zinc prevents vaginal candidiasis by inhibiting expression of an inflammatory fungal protein

6 dicembre 2023

Vaginal yeast infections resulting from Candida albicans pathogenic overgrowth can be difficult to treat, especially when recurrent. Roselletti et al. show that PRA1 is up-regulated in response to local zinc limitation during vaginal yeast infection in mice. PRA1 expression was associated with vaginal tissue pathology and local immune response, both of which were blocked in the models by PRA1 down-regulation or topical zinc. In a pilot study, a commercially available zinc gel alleviated symptoms and prevented reinfection in women with recurrent vaginal yeast infection. These findings suggest a potentially simple solution for the many women who suffer from recurrent vaginal candidiasis. —Catherine Charneski