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Are there any prescription treatments for a yeast infection?

A yeast infection is an excessive growth of fungus that naturally occurs in the vagina or mouth. Prescription medicines can be used to treat yeast infections in the mouth. Prescription medicines are also available for vaginal infections that are not cured by over-the-counter products. In both cases, medicines can be applied to the affected areas or taken as oral tablets.

Nystatin (brand name Mycostatin) is a medicine that is applied to the mouth or vagina to treat yeast infections. For mouth infections, it’s available in liquid and tablet forms. For vaginal infections, it’s available as a tablet insert. The oral medication is usually taken four to five times daily, while vaginal tablets are used just once daily.

Fluconazole (>Diflucan) and ketoconazole (>Nizoral) are oral antifungal medications that are very effective in treating yeast infections of the vagina and mouth. Vaginal yeast infections can be treated with a single oral dose, while mouth infections may require daily oral doses for up to two weeks, depending on how severe the infection is.

Sources
The Merck Manual of Medical Information: Home Edition. Merck & Co. 1997.
Micromedex Healthcare Series. Micromedex, Inc., 1999.
Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach. Appleton & Lange, 1999.

This answer prepared 7/17/00.