Background Vaginal candidiasis is frequent in pregnant women and is associated with sepsis and adverse neonatal outcomes. This study determined the prevalence of candida species in symptomatic pregnant women and evaluated the antifungal susceptibility profile of the isolated Candida strains. It also aimed to explore whether Candida species predicts gestational complications and adverse neonatal outcomes. Methods A total of 258 pregnant women with vaginal discharge at 35 to 37 week of gestation participated in this study. Vaginal swabs from these patients were collected at various obstetrics and gynecology clinics in Lebanon for a period of 14 months. Candida isolates were identified at species level and antifungal susceptibility of Candida albicans to fluconazole (FCZ), amphotericin B (AMB), itraconazole (ICZ) and voriconazole (VCZ) was determined by the agar-based E-test method. Results Among 258 women tested, 100 (39%) were positive for Candida species. C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. krusei were isolated from 42, 41 and 17% of the women, respectively. C. albicans was significantly associated only with gestational diabetes while C. krusei or C. glabrata had significant positive associations with other gestational complications. The antifungal susceptibility tests of C. albicans isolates revealed 97.5, 90, 87.5 and 97.5% susceptibility to AMB, FCZ, ICZ and VCZ, respectively. Conclusion The current study revealed high incidence of both C. albicans and non-C. albicans Candida strains causing vulvovaginitis among pregnant women in Beirut, Lebanon. Candida screening as antenatal follow up is advised to minimize the risk of adverse neonatal outcome or gestational complications.

Introduction. Infections caused by extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria continue to be a challenge for choosing the appropriate therapy since they may exhibit coresistance to many other classes of antibiotics. The aim of the study was to screen pregnant women for ESBL producing bacteria in Beirut, Lebanon, to examine their phenotypic and genotypic characterization and to study the association between ESBL colonization with adverse neonatal outcomes. Method. In this cross-sectional study, vaginal samples from 308 pregnant women at 35–37 weeks of gestation were studied during a one-year period. The samples were plated on MacConkey agar and selective MacConkey agar supplemented with ceftazidime. Phenotypic confirmation of ESBL production was performed by double-disc synergy test and all isolates were screened by PCR for the resistance genes blaSHV, blaTEM, and blaCTX-M. Clonal relatedness of Escherichia coli isolates was investigated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Results. In total, 59 women out of 308 (19.1%) were colonized by ESBL producing gram negative bacteria. Two babies born to mothers colonized with ESBL were diagnosed with sepsis. The susceptibility rates of isolates to other antibiotics were 39% to co-trimoxazole, 49.2% to ciprofloxacin, 91.5% to gentamicin, 18.6% to aztreonam and 35.6% to cefepime. Most of isolates were highly sensitive to meropenem and imipenem, with a susceptibility of 93.2%. PCR was performed on all E. coli isolates to detect the most common ESBL producing genes; blaCTX-M was the predominant gene (90.7%), followed by blaTEM (88.4%) and finally blaSHV (44.2%). PFGE analysis of 34 E. coli isolates revealed 22 distinct clusters showing more than 85% similarity. Conclusion. In conclusion, this study showed that Lebanon has a high prevalence of ESBL carriage in pregnant women. Further studies that include a continuous screening of pregnant women and follow up of their newborn clinical status should be conducted to foresee the risk of transmission.

Background: Vaginal candidiasis is frequently prevalent in pregnant women and is associated with sepsis and adverse neonatal outcomes. This study determined the presence of Candida species in symptomatic pregnant women and evaluated the antifungal susceptibility profile of the isolated strains. It also aimed to explore whether Candida species predicts gestational complications and adverse neonatal outcomes. Methods: A total of 258 pregnant women at 35 to 37 week of gestation participated in this study. Vaginal swabs from these patients were collected at various obstetrics and gynecology clinics in Lebanon for a period of 12 months. Candida isolates were identified at species level and antifungal susceptibility of Candida albicans to fluconazole (FCZ), amphotericin B (AMB), itraconazole (ICZ) and voriconazole (VCZ) was determined by the agar-based E-test method. Results: Among 258 women tested, 100 (39%) were positive for Candida species. C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. krusei were isolated from 42%, 41% and 17% of the women, respectively. C. albicans had significant positive associations with gestational diabetes while C. kreusi or C. glabrata had significant positive associations with gestational complications and vaginal discharge. The antifungal susceptibility tests of C. albicans isolates revealed 97.5%, 90%, 87.5% and 97.5% susceptibility to AMB, FCZ, ICZ and VCZ, respectively. . Conclusion: The current study revealed high incidence of both C. albicans and non-C. albicans strains causing vulvovaginitis among pregnant women in Beirut, Lebanon. Whereas the susceptibility rates of C. albicans against AMB and VCZ were high, FCZ and ICZ proved comparatively less efficacious. The resistance profile of circulating C. albicans among pregnant women can predict the best outcome of appropriate prophylaxis or treatment of neonatal candidiasis. Vaginal candida colonization might lead to adverse neonatal outcome or gestational complications thus Candida screening as antennal follow up is advised.