Isolation and identification of Candida Species in Patients with Vulvovaginal Candidiasis

Abstract

Abnormal vaginal discharge is one of the frequent complaints of women of reproductive age group. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of vulvovaginal candidiasis(VVC) among the patients attending the tertiary care hospital with complaints of suggestive of vaginitis. This study was done in a tertiary care hospital, Chennai for a period of 1 year from January 2017 to December 2017. The study included 160 women of the age group 15 -65 years with complaints suggestive of vaginitis. High vaginal swabs were taken and subjected to direct microscopy, cultured onto Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) and Hichrome Candida differential agar. Candida species were determined by standard microbiological methods and the results were confirmed by automated VITEK2 compact. Candida species were isolated from 56 patients which included C.albicans (25), C.tropicalis (20), C.glabrata (6), C.parapsilosis(4), C.krusei(1). Our study shows higher prevalence of non albicans Candida causing VVC. Hence, we recommend that the investigations up to species identification of Candida may be routinely followed in the microbiology laboratories.

Relationship between Vulvovaginitis in Women with the Candida Species

“…The prevalence of non-albicans species in this study was as follows Candida glabrata which was 12(9.4%), Candida parapsilosis 4(3.5%) and the lowest percentage belonged to Candida kruis 2(1.2%). The study observed results similar to two studies done by (Krishnasamyetal) and (salvietal) by which they found that the highest parentage of Candida spp isolated was Candida albicans and also regarding the NAC which was similar to our study: Candida glabrata (11%), Candida parapsilosis (11%) and Candida kruis (2%) (15) , (11) . A study done by (Jayalakshmi etal.…”

“…In the present study, out of 300 symptomatic patients, candidiasis was detected in (57%) (171/300) cases on the culture of the high vaginal swab, and this data is similar to reports by (Rad, etal) (12) which were (66%) and (Kalia, etal) (13) (47%), and lower than that reported by (Ugwa) (14) who reported (84.5%) in North-West Nigeria. Our result is higher than reported by (Krishnasamyetal) (15) , which had done on 160 women, and 56 high vaginal swabs were (35%) positive culture revealed candida spp. and higher than reported by (10) which was (30.6%).…”

“…and higher than reported by (10) which was (30.6%). This study found the highest incidence of VVC were in (30)(31)(32)(33)(34) years age range (21.6%) followed by (25)(26)(27)(28)(29) years with (18.7%) while the lowest incidence was in the age group (15)(16)(17)(18)(19) (2.3%) and this indicates that this disease is a common problem of active reproductive life and is similar to aresearch done by (Ugwaetal) (14) and (Yadav and Prakash) (16) : (14) reported the highest prevalence in 26-35 years age group (53%) while (16) , found that the highest incidence of VVC were in age range (21)(22)(23)(24)(25) years then age range (40.44%) followed by (26)(27)(28)(29)(30) years with (32.58%). The age range (25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35) years contains females who are young and are sexually active have low vaginal defense mechanisms towards Candida species (17) .…”

“…A total of 300 high vaginal swabs were collected form patients attending maternity teaching hospital with sign and symptoms of vulvovaginal infection which were itching (83%), redness (82.5%), suprapubic pain (66.1%) and vaginal discharge (67.3%). Among them 171(57%) Swabs were positive for Candidaspp growth on culture, and 1 The highest frequency of positive cases were found to be in the age range (30)(31)(32)(33)(34) years (21.6%) followed by age group (25-29) years which was 29(18.7%) while the lowest number of patients with candidiasis was in the age group (15)(16)(17)(18)(19) years which was 4(2.3%) as shown in table and figure (2). 29(43%) were negative for Candida growth as shown in table (1) and figure (1).…”

Retrospective analysis on distribution and antifungal susceptibility profile of Candida in clinical samples: a study from Southern India

“…Studying hormone-sensing pathways help in explaining gender bias-associated infections. C. albicans is recorded as the predominant colonizer in the female reproductive tract and a major cause of genital thrush ( 29 ). The shift in the frequency from albicans to NAC such as C. glabrata , C. parapsilosis , C. tropicalis may be due to increased use of the counter drugs, a short-course of antifungal therapy, and long-term use of azoles ( 30 ).…”