Up to three-quarters of all women will experience a genital yeast infection at least once in their lives. Recurrent infections, in particular, can significantly impair quality of life. The typical symptoms—such as itching, burning, and pain—are caused not only by the yeast Candida albicans, but, more importantly, by an excessive immune response. But why is the immune reaction in these cases so intense and persistent? An international research team led by the Leibniz-HKI has now uncovered how the host protein albumin fuels the inflammatory cascade while simultaneously shielding the fungal pathogen from the immune system. The findings have been published in Nature Communications.