title: Species spectrum and antifungal susceptibility profile of vaginal isolates of Candida in Kuwait.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) among patients with vaginitis, frequency of different Candida species, and their susceptibility profile.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over six months period, high vaginal swabs were cultured on Sabouraud's dextrose agar and isolates were identified by culture on CHROMagar Candida and Vitek2 yeast identification system or/and API 20C (BioMerieux, France). Antifungal susceptibility of the Candida isolates was determined by E-test against amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole and caspofungin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One thousand seven hundred and fifty-two women with vaginitis were screened for the prevalence of Candida spp. Vaginal swab cultures of 231 (13.2%) women yielded Candida spp. The isolation rates of different species were as follows: Candida albicans (73.9%), Candida glabrata (19.8%), Candida kefir (1.94%), Candida tropicalis (0.96%), Candida parapsilosis (0.96%), Candida krusei (0.96%), Candida guilliermondii (0.96%), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (0.52%). All strains of C. albicans and non-C. albicans were susceptible to most of the antifungal agents tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high frequency with which C. albicans was recovered and its azole susceptibility support the continued use of azole agents for empirical therapy of uncomplicated VVC. However, a larger controlled study is required to determine the role of non-C. albicans in recurrent VVC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 760, 51007 Fintas, Kuwait; Microbiology Unit, Department of Laboratories, Farwania Hospital, Kuwait. Electronic address: alfouzan.w@hsc.edu.kw.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Alfouzan
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Unit, Department of Laboratories, Farwania Hospital, Kuwait.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dhar
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Unit, Department of Laboratories, Farwania Hospital, Kuwait.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ashkanani
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Farwania Hospital, Kuwait.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 760, 51007 Fintas, Kuwait.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rachel
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 760, 51007 Fintas, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Z U
authors.initials: ZU
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait / Q000453:epidemiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents
keywords: Antifongiques susceptibilité; Antifungal susceptibility; Candida spp.; Vulvovaginitis