title: Prevalence of Candida spp. in cervical-vaginal samples and the in vitro susceptibility of isolates.
abstract: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is an infection of the genital mucosa caused by different species of the genus Candida. Considering the lack of data on this topic in the south of Brazil, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of Candida spp. in the cervical-vaginal mucosa of patients treated at a university hospital in southern Rio Grande do Sul, as well as the etiology and the susceptibility of the isolates against fluconazole, itraconazole, miconazole and nystatin. Samples were collected at the gynecology clinic of the Federal Hospital of the University of Rio Grande, and the isolates were identified using phenotypic and biochemical tests. The susceptibility analysis was performed according to the CLSI M27-A2 protocol. Of the 263 patients included, Candida spp. was isolated in 27%, corresponding to a prevalence of approximately 15% for both VVC and colonization. More than 60% of the isolates were identified as Candida albicans; C. non-albicans was isolated at a rate of 8.6% in symptomatic patients and 14.3% in asymptomatic patients. The prevalence of resistance against fluconazole and itraconazole was 42% and 48%, respectively; the minimal inhibitory concentration of miconazole ranged from 0.031 to 8μg/mL, and that of nystatin ranged from 2 to >16μg/mL. The high rate of resistance to triazoles observed in our study suggests the necessity of the association of laboratory exams to clinical diagnosis to minimize the practice of empirical treatments that can contribute to the development of resistance in the isolates.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Laboratório de Micologia, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil; Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tchana Martinez
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Brandolt
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Laboratório de Micologia, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriel Baracy
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Klafke
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla Vitola
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Laboratório de Micologia, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Laura Riffel
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Bitencourt
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Maria Barral de
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Josiara Furtado
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mário Carlos Araújo
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Meireles
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Laboratório de Micologia, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil; Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil. Electronic address: melissaxavierfurg@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Melissa Orzechowski
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Xavier
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents
keywords: Antifungal; Resistance; Susceptibility; Vulvovaginal candidiasis