Caracterización de la Candidiasis Vulvovaginal en Mujeres de la Ciudad de Medellín, Colombia

Vulvovaginal candidiasis affects the vaginal mucosa and is caused by different Candida species. Patients mainly complain of itching and pain. The objective of this research was to characterize the vulvovaginal candidiasis in a group of women with vaginitis. With previous consent, 150 patients with Candida vaginitis were included, between February 2006 and November 2008. A sample of vaginal fluid for direct and culture was taken. Species identification was confirmed by the API 20 C AUX method, and the sensitivity profile of ATB fungus. The prevalence of different species of Candida was: C. albicans 80% (120), C. parapsilosis 10% (15), C. glabrata 5.3% (8), C. tropicalis 2% (3), C. guillermondii 1.3% (2), C. kefyr 0.7% (1), and Candida famata 0.7% (1). Of all women, 90% (135 of them) showed symptoms associated with infection by Candida spp; 44.5%, 60 women, showed simultaneous itching and vaginal discharge. 6% of patients had more than 4 episodes of vulvovaginal candidiasis in a year. 90% of Candida albicans isolates were susceptible to fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole. 100% of the isolates of C. glabrata susceptible to fluconazole and voriconazole. C. kefyr was intermediate to fluconazole in 100% of the isolates. All other species were 100% susceptible to the antifungals tested. C. albicans was the yeast most frequently recovered, followed by C. parapsilosis and C. glabrata . The general sensitivity to the antifungal is high for all isolates.