HIV/AIDS Glossary

A common fungal infection that is caused by overgrowth of the yeast Candida (usually Candida albicans) in the vagina. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and may include itching, burning, redness, and swelling in and around the vagina and vulva; pain during sex; pain when urinating; and a thick, white vaginal discharge that can look like cottage cheese and does not have a bad odor. Women who are immunocompromised, including women with HIV, are more likely to get vulvovaginal candidiasis. In women with advanced immunosuppression, episodes of vulvovaginal candidiasis may be more severe or recur more often.