A major reason for the high incidence of vaginal yeast infection in women during the summer holidays is largely due to stress. Busy daily life in the days leading up to vacation, most of us have to deal with tasks that aim to make up for the absence. Stress has an extremely negative effect on the immune system: Our body becomes much more susceptible to the harmful influence of various pathogenic microorganisms. Another reason that favors the occurrence of vaginal yeast infection is the climate, which is usually much warmer in the latitudes where we decide to spend our summer vacation. Sometimes the hygienic conditions available to us during our trip are much worse than those we are used to, but even in seemingly clean hotels there are places from which a person can get infected. Swimming pools are a good example of premises that provide optimal conditions for the reproduction of bacteria, viruses and fungi. On the other hand, chlorinated water has an adverse effect on the vaginal contents, which rapidly develops vaginal mycosis. Doctors advise women who are prone to developing a yeast infection to avoid swimming pools and baths, but if we do go for a swim, it’s a good idea to take off wet swimsuits afterwards and put on dry ones. Intimate care in the summer Most people prefer to shower more often in the summer season for better hygiene and of course the indispensable cooling provided by the lukewarm water in the shower. However, steaming and sweating remain an integral part of our day, and this causes a large number of women to resort to more frequent and more diligent washing of the intimate area. The use of large amounts of washable cosmetics, as well as intimate sprays, have an extremely negative impact on the natural vaginal flora. In most cases, it is enough to wash with warm, but not hot, water and/or by using a gentle intimate gel with pH 4. NEWS_MORE_BOX Causes of vaginal mycosis. Do exotic countries have exotic fungi? The most common cause of vaginal yeast infection is Candida albicans. It is believed to be rare for a woman to return from vacation with an exotic type of microorganism. However, in the last 30 years, there has been a tendency to increase the frequency of fungal infections with causative agents such as Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei and Candida glabrata. The most common antifungal agents work primarily against Candida albicans. If a vaginal mycosis is not affected by the applied drug therapy, this is an indication of an infection with a different than usual type of causative agent. In order for the treatment to be successful, it is necessary for the attending physician to take material from the vaginal contents and culture it in an environment suitable for the development of fungi, after which the exact causative agent of the infection is identified in the laboratory.The treatment is prescribed according to the results obtained from the microbiological examination.