title: Mannose-binding lectin gene polymorphism, vulvovaginal candidiasis, and bacterial vaginosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate associations between polymorphisms in the gene coding for mannose-binding lectin (MBL) and the diagnosis of acute or recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis
  
  
  METHODS
  Women at two outpatient clinics in Brazil filled out a questionnaire and were examined for the presence of vulvovaginal candidiasis or bacterial vaginosis. A buccal swab was blindly tested for codons 54 and 57 MBL2 gene polymorphisms by polymerase chain reaction and endonuclease digestion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 177 women were enrolled. Vulvovaginal candidiasis was identified in 78 (44.1%) women, 33 (18.6%) had bacterial vaginosis, and 66 (37.3%) were normal controls. Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis was present in 50 (64.1%) of the women with vulvovaginal candidiasis; 20 (60.6%) of the bacterial vaginosis patients had recurrent disease. Vulvovaginal candidiasis was associated with white race (P=.007), bacterial vaginosis was associated with nonwhite race (P=.05), and both were associated with a history of allergy (P< or =.02) and having sexual intercourse at least three times a week (P<.001). Carriage of the variant MBL2 codon 54 allele B was more frequent in women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (25.0%) than in the women with acute vulvovaginal candidiasis (17.9%) or controls (10.6%) (P=.004). Allele B was also more prevalent in women with recurrent bacterial vaginosis (22.5%) than in those with acute bacterial vaginosis (0%) (P=.009). The MBL2 codon 57 polymorphism was infrequent and not associated with vulvovaginal candidiasis or bacterial vaginosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of vulvovaginal candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis differs by ethnicity in Brazilian women. The MBL2 codon 54 gene polymorphism is associated with both recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis and recurrent bacterial vaginosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The State University of Campinas, School of Medical Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Giraldo
authors.forename: Oksana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Babula
authors.forename: Ana Katherine S
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Iara M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Linhares
authors.forename: Rose Luce
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Ledger
authors.forename: Steven S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Witkin
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C445619:MBL2 protein, human; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin