Frequency and Etiology of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis in Women Referred to a Gynecological Center in Babol, lran

Abstract

Background Vulvovaginal candidiasis is the most common fungal disease in sexually active women of which Candida albicans is the primary etiologic agent. Materials and methods This cross-sectional study was performed to determine the etiologic agents of vulvovaginal candidiasis amongst 2000 women who presented to the Gynecological Center of Babol Shahid Yahyanejad Educational Hospital from 2006-2007 with symptoms of vulvovaginal candidiasis. Results Discharge and pruritus were the most common symptoms in patients (80%). There were 42 out of 97 (43.3%) specimens which were positive for yeast. Of these, 80.95% belonged to Candida albicans and 14.29% were Candida krusei. Conclusion Discharge and pruritus were the most common symptoms of vulvovaginal candidiasis. In our study, C. albicans was the most common species isolated from the specimens.

Keywords

• vulvovaginal candidiasis
• candida albicans