[Candidal vulvovaginitis: an epidemiological survey among immigrant prostitutes].
OBJECTIVE
Candidal vulvovaginitis is a frequent infectious process in adult women that assumes particular clinical, epidemiological and social importance in prostitutes due to its possible sexual transmission. The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of symptomatic or non-symptomatic vulvovaginitis caused by Candida spp and its possible relationship to behavioural risk factors, by a prospective study carried on 153 immigrant prostitutes from various African countries.


METHODS
All subjects (average age 27 yrs; range 18-50 yrs) coming from sub-Saharan areas (Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Senegal) and resident in the coastal area northwest of Naples (southern Italy) underwent a microbiological investigation to detect the possible presence of Candida in vaginal, rectal and pharyngeal swabs. Agar Sabouraud with the addition of chloramphenicol was used for cultures and the mycotube system for identification; in vitro sensitivity tests with amphotericin, nystatin, 5-fluorocytosine, econazole, and fluconazole were also performed according to the Kirby Bauer technique.


RESULTS
The rate of Candida detection from vaginal swabs was 45% (69/153) with the following distribution by specie: C. albicans 75.4%, C. glabrata 7.2%, C. krusei 2.9%, C. tropicalis 1.4%, Candida spp 13%. The incidence of Candida from pharyngeal and rectal swabs was 18.3% and 26.1%, respectively. The overall resistance of Candida was comprised between 6% for fluconazole and 27% for econazole. No strain was resistant to 5-fluorocytosine, nystatin and amphotericin.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of Candida in this particular population of immigrates was very high and correlated to many well-identified risk factors.
Bellitti
Filomena
F
Laboratorio di Microbiologia, Ospedale SM delle Grazie, Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy.
Cuniato
Vincenzo
V
Nocera
Espedito
E
Noviello
Silvana
S
Esposito
Silvano
S
D000328:Adult; D002175:Candida / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011477:Sex Work
Sorveglianza epidemiologica della vulvovaginite da Candida in una popolazione di prostitute extracomunitarie.