eli5: I know there’s “good” gut bacteria, are there any “good fungus” in the human body?

Question

I don’t remember hearing about any and started to wonder. If there are, could you give some examples? How are they good?

In: 10

Answer 1

Yes, in addition to bacteria, there’s fungi and viral communities in the body. This topic is even more recent than microbiome so my understanding is it’s a bit less developed, but Candida (generally considered harmful) is commonly found.

It’s believed the various fungi inside help keep harmful fungi in balance. There’s also evidence showing fungi imbalance may be correlated with other health issues; there’s evidence it participates in our immune response.