Year: 2016
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Candida species are versatile microorganisms which live normally in the skin, mouth, gastrointestinal tract, and genitourinary tract.In healthy people, Candida species usually live as benign commensals and produce no disease.However, they are the most common cause of fungal infections in immunosuppressed individuals, leading to a range of non-life threatening mucocutaneous diseases to threatening invasive systemic diseases.Among Candida spp, the more important pathogenic species are Candida albicans, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis and C.krusei.The research set out to determine the prevalence of non albicans vulvovaginal candidiasis and pattern of distribution of the different Candida species in Zaria.A cross sectional study of female genital swabs collected from 400 women with features suggestive of vulvovaginal candidiasis attending Gynaecology clinics in four selected hospitals in Zaria.The swabs collected between a period of February 2012 to March 2013 were analysed by microscopy and culture in the Medical Microbiology laboratory, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.Data on demographic details were also obtained; using structured questionnaires.Of the 400 patient samples examined 163(40.8%)were culture positive for Candida spp.Of these 163 isolates, 84 were germ-tube negative giving a prevalence of 21% for non albicans candida (NAC).Of the 84 isolates of NAC, 51(60.7%)were Candida parapsilosis, 18 (21.4%)were Candida tropicalis, while 15 (17.9%) were Candida glabrata.Vulvovaginal candidiasis was found to be more prevalent among the age group 21-30 years in general.Vulvovaginal candidiasis is a prevalent infection among women.More than half of the infections are due to nonalbicans Candida.NAC is becoming increasingly relevant in the aetiology of Vulvovaginal candidiasis and health providers need to be aware of this as the treatment options differ.
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2254556666