title: [The role of the symptomatic and asymptomatic sexual partners in the recurrent vulvovaginitis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the predominant species and the role of sexual partners in the maintenance of recurrent vulvovaginitis by Candida spp.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study of 830 patients aged 18 to 65 years with yeast vaginitis was performed between August 2007 and March 2012. Patients with diabetes mellitus, AIDS or taking corticosteroids, antibiotics or hormone therapy and immunosuppressed patients, patients using vaginal douches, spermicides or intrauterine devices were excluded from the study. Candida species were identified by phenotypic and genotypic methods. The chi-square test was used to correlate the presence of Candida spp. in male partners with the recurrence of vaginitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fungal agent was isolated from a total of 40 women, 24 with recurrent vaginitis and from 15 of their sexual partners, 10 of whom were asymptomatic while 5 were symptomatic. There was agreement of the species found in the couple in 100% of recurrences. C. albicans (62.4 and 60%), C. glabrata (29.1 and 33.3%) and C. guilliermondii species were identified. Candida tropicalis (4.1%) was isolated from only one patient. Candida albicans was isolated from the remaining 16 women who had uncomplicated vaginitis. C. glabrata was isolated from only two of the asymptomatic partners.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a predominance of C. albicans and symptomatic or asymptomatic partners can play an important role as a reservoir and source of transmission of yeast, especially in cases of recurrent vulvovaginitis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ginecologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Humberto Fabio
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Boatto
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ginecologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Manoel João Batista Castello
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Girão
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Dermatologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria Sayonara
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: de Moraes
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Elaine Cristina
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Francisco
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Olga Fischman
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Gompertz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D058345:Asymptomatic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D002175:Candida / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012747:Sexual Partners; D055815:Young Adult