title: Correlation of Candida species and symptoms among patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis in Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
abstract: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is an infection caused by abnormal yeast growth in the mucosa of the female genital tract which is commonly diagnosed in gynecology. The aim of this study was to correlate the frequency of yeasts and their respective species in asymptomatic women with different clinical manifestation of VVC; evaluate possible relationships between number of fungus colonies and symptoms in this pathology. All patients who visited the laboratory within a period of five months, for routine examinations of vaginal secretion, independent of the presence or absence of symptoms of VVC were included in this study. Of these, women with immunodeficiency or with an infection of the genital tract by another agent were excluded. Candida albicans was the most frequently yeast isolated (60%). Among non-C. albicans yeasts, 61.5% were isolated of the asymptomatic women, 38.7% from patients with VVC and 11.1% of those from patients with RVVC. C. albicans was associated with symptoms of VVC and while, the presence of non-C. albicans yeasts with asymptomatic women. However, there was no association between the number of fungal colonies and symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Mycology, Departament of Clinical Analysis, Teaching and Research in Clinical Analysis Laboratoy, State University of Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcia Edilaine
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Lopes Consolaro
authors.forename: Thâmara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aline Albertoni
authors.forename: Celina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shizue Yoshida
authors.forename: Josmar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mazucheli
authors.forename: Rosane Marina
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Peralta
authors.forename: Terezinha Inez
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Estivalet Svidzinski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D041221:Candida glabrata / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D012008:Recurrence; D013045:Species Specificity