Candida albicans and bacterial vaginosis can coexist on Pap smears.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to study the relationship of blastospores and pseudohyphae in Papanicolaou (Pap) smears and Nugent scores for bacterial vaginosis (BV).


METHODS
A total of 471 Pap smears with Candida albicans were reviewed. The presence of blastospores and pseudohyphae was established. The Pap smears were restained with the Gram stain method to evaluate the bacterial flora according to the Nugent scoring system.


RESULTS
Of the 471 Pap smears, blastospores and pseudohyphae were observed in 62.8% (296/471) and 37.2% (175/471) of the smears, and displayed symptoms in 4.4% (13/296) and 43.4% (76/175), respectively. A significant difference was found between these 2 groups (p < 0.0001). A positive BV Nugent score (≥ 7) was found in 22.1% (104/471) of the C. albicans cases. Blastospores and pseudohyphae with BV were 14.2% (42/296) and 35.4% (62/175), respectively. These high Nugent scores indicate statistically significant differences (p < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
C. albicans and BV can coexist. The presence of blastospores in these C. albicans cases was negatively related to symptoms.
Department of Pathology at The Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Qingzhu
Q
Wei
Bo
B
Fu
Jianghuan
J
Liu
Zhixiong
Z
Zhang
Tong
T
Zhao
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D016975:Gardnerella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D025301:Hyphae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008875:Middle Aged; D017904:Mobiluncus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult