Nohorn, I am a clinician rather than a bacteriologist so please keep that in mind when you evaluate the comments that I make.
Normal gut commensals commonly include fungi which live, for the most part, happily with their bacterial neighbours in a happy symbiosis with no upset at all to the host. However in certain situations, this idyllic lifestyle is interrupted and either the bacteria or fungi start to try and “take over2 the host’s defence mechanism, thus endangering the existence of the host. Certain situations such as intense antibiotic therapy, disorders of the immune system, dehydration and post operative infections may “turn the tide” in favour of the fungus taking over the host.
When this happens there are two main outcomes:
1) The host with the help of anti fungal drugs, fights off the invader, wins and the status quo returns, with the fungus returned to its proper role on the host.
2) Due to many factors, the host loses the fight and death of the host ensues.
There is no intermediary phase, as you describe as a long standing chronic multi organ fungus infection.
Fungal infections mainly Candida Albicans and less commonly Aspergilla do occur but the end result always fits into the two categories mentioned above…….you are either fight it OR it overwhelms you and you die.
I look forward to your comments.