DETERMINATION OF VULVOVAGINAL CANDIDIASIS IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Abstract

Objectives: Infections of vulva and vagina are commonly encountered in gynecology practice. These infections are predominant in the women of reproductive age group so, this study was done to determine the prevalence of vaginal candidiasis and identify, differentiate Candida species isolated from the patients. Three high vaginal swabs per patients were collected using sterile cotton-tipped swabs from Gynecology Department and processed in Department of Microbiology, MLBMC, India. Candida was identified using standard guidelines. The study was done on 350 women in reproductive age group (18–49 years), 63.4% were non-pregnant and 36.5% pregnant. One hundred and sixteen/350 (33.1%) samples showed pure growth of Candida species. Candida positivity among pregnant women (42.9%) was higher than in non-pregnant women (27.1%). Isolation of non-albican Candida was higher (26.7%) than Candida albicans, this difference was statistically significant (p<0.05) The most common isolated species by conventional methods was C. albicans (36.3%) followed by Candida glabrata (24.1%), Candida tropicalis (22.5%), Candida krusei (10.3), and Candida parapsilosis (7.7%). In case of C. albicans, Fluconazole and Amphotericin B were found to be most sensitive drugs followed by Nystatin, voriconazole and ketoconazole and among non-albicans candida, Nystatin was the highly sensitive drug. Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VCC) is the most common infection in the women reproductive age group. Several predisposing factors such as HIV, diabetes mellitus, oral contraceptive, IUCD usage, antibiotics, and immunosuppressive drug increase the VCC, C. albicans was the most prevalent species followed by C. glabrata and C. tropicalis.