Background: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is the second most common vaginal infection. HIV-infection is a risk factor for this infection. Objective: To determine the frequency of VVC and to describe the main Candida species isolated and their susceptibility to antifungal drugs in HIV-infected patients, compared to HIV-uninfected women in Salvador, Brazil. Methods: Cross-sectional study including a group of 64 HIV-infected women and 76 uninfected women, followed up at the AIDS reference center and at the Gynecological Clinic of Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública (Salvador, Bahia, Brazil). Results: Frequency of Candida spp. was higher in HIV-infected women (29.7%) than in HIV-uninfected controls (14.5%) (p = 0.02). The odds ratio value for vulvovaginal candidiasis in HIV-infected patients was 2.6 (95% CI: 1.07 -6.32 p = 0.03). Candida albicans was the most commonly isolated species in both HIV-infected (52.3%) and uninfected women (85.7%), followed by C. parapsolis in 17.6% and 14.3%, respectively. In HIV-infected women, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, and a coinfection of C. albicans and C. glabrata were also identified. There was no significant difference between Candida species isolated from the vaginal mucosa of women with VVC and colonization of the vaginal mucosa of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women. One C. glabrata isolate from an HIV-infected patient was resistant to fluconazole and other two isolates exhibited a dose-dependent susceptibility. Conclusion: Our results confirm a higher frequency of Candida spp. isolated from the vaginal mucosa of HIV-infected women and a broader spectrum of species involved. Only Candida glabrata isolates showed decreased susceptibility to fluconazole.

INTRODUCTION:HTLV-1 infection increases susceptibility to other infections. Few studies have addressed the co-infection between HPV and HTLV-1 and the immune response involved in this interaction. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cervical HPV infection in HTLV-1-infected women and to establish the risk factors involved in this co-infection. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Salvador, Brazil, between September 2005 and December 2008, involving 50 HTLV-1-infected women from the HTLV Reference Center and 40 uninfected patients from gynecological clinic, both at the Bahiana School of Medicine. HPV infection was assessed using hybrid capture. HTLV-1 proviral load was quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: The mean age of HTLV-1-infected women (38 ± 10 years) was similar to that of the control group (36 ± 13 years). The prevalence of HPV infection was 44% in the HTLV-1-infected group and 22.5% in uninfected women (p = 0.03). HTLV-1-infected women had lower mean age at onset of sexual life (17 ± 3 years versus 19 ± 3 years; p = 0.03) and greater number of lifetime partners compared with the control group (4 ± 3 versus 2 ± 1; p < 0.01). In the group of HTLV-1-infected patients, there was neither difference in HTLV-1 proviral load between HPV-infected women and the uninfected. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HPV infection was higher in HTLV-1-infected women. Further studies should be performed to evaluate the progression of this co-infection.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is frequently associated with high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia.Immunosuppression and high HIV viral load are the main risk factors for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of CIN in HIV-infected women in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, and to describe the risk factors in comparison with non-infected women. RESULTS: CIN was more prevalent among HIV-infected women than in the control group (26.6% versus 6.6%; P = 0.01). The odds ratio for CIN among HIV-infected women was 3.7 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.23-11; P = 0.01), after adjusting for the following variables: age at first sexual intercourse, number of partners, number of deliveries and previous history of sexually transmitted disease. CONCLUSION:The prevalence of CIN among HIV-infected women was significantly higher than among women without HIV infection. HIV infection was the most important risk factor associated with the development of cervical lesions.RESUMO CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: O vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV) está frequentemente associado à neoplasia intraepitelial de alto grau.Imunossupressão e carga viral do HIV elevada são os principais fatores de risco para neoplasia intra-epitelial cervical (NIC). O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a prevalência de NIC em mulheres infectadas pelo HIV, em Salvador, Bahia, Brasil e descrever os fatores de risco, comparando-as com mulheres não infectadas.

Our results confirm a higher frequency of Candida spp. isolated from the vaginal mucosa of HIV-infected women and a broader spectrum of species involved. Only Candida glabrata isolates showed decreased susceptibility to fluconazole.

PuRPOse: to compare the frequency of vulvovaginitis in women infected with human imunnodeficiency virus (HIV) with the frequency in non-infected women. MethOds: a transversal study including 64 HIV infected women and 76 noninfected ones. The frequencies of bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis and trichomoniasis, diagnosed by Amsel's criteria, culture and fresh exam, respectively, were calculated. Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and multiple regressions to verify the independence of associations were used to analyze the data. Results: the vaginal infection was more prevalent in HIV infected patients, as compared to the control group (59.4 versus 28.9%, p<0,001; Odds Ratio=2.7, p=0.007). Bacterial vaginosis occurred in 26.6% of the positive-HIV women; vaginal candidiasis, in 29.7% and trichomoniasis, in 12.5% of them. All the infections were significantly more frequent in the group of HIV infected women (p=0.04, 0.02 e 0.04, respectively). COnClusiOns: vulvovaginitis is more frequent in HIV infected women.trabalho realizado no Curso de Pós-graduação de Medicina e saúde humana da escola bahiana de Medicina e saúde Pública -ebMsP -salvador (ba), brasil. Pesquisa fomentada pela Fundação de amparo à Pesquisa do estado da bahia (Fapesb) -bahia (ba), brasil.