Prevalence of clinical vaginal candidiasis in a university hospital and possible risk factors.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of symptomatic vaginal candidiasis and probable predisposing factors in a university-based hospital.


METHODS
A total of 576 cases of clinical vaginal candidiasis were enrolled in this survey and wet mount preparations, Gram-stained smears and vaginal cultures were assessed. Possible risk factors, such as pregnancy, diabetes mellitus, contraceptive and antibiotic use were evaluated.


RESULTS
Clinical vaginal candidiasis was detected in 12.1% of the cases. Candida albicans was isolated in 80.2% of patients and non-albicans species in 19.8%. Pruritus was the most common symptom (85.9%), followed by vaginal discharge (66.1%), soreness (31.1%) and dyspareunia (5.0%). Reproductive age, pregnancy, diabetes, contraception as well as recent antibiotic use correlated positively with both C. albicans and non-albicans isolates. Soreness and dyspareunia were significantly related to non-albicans species. The overall recurrence rate was 8.5%. Recurrences correlated positively to non-albicans infections.


CONCLUSIONS
C. albicans was, by far, the predominant yeast isolate. Non-albicans isolates caused significantly more frequent soreness, dyspareunia and recurrences than C. albicans. Clinical and laboratory findings, together with possible predisposing factors must be taken into consideration in order to achieve appropriate treatment.
Grigoriou
Odysseas
O
Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Baka
Stavroula
S
Makrakis
Evangelos
E
Hassiakos
Dimitrios
D
Kapparos
George
G
Kouskouni
Evangelia
E
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors