Frequency of yeasts in vaginal fluid of women with and without clinical suspicion of vulvovaginal candidiasis

OBJETIVO: estudar a candidiase vulvovaginal em mulheres com e sem suspeita clinica a partir de fluido vaginal, identificando frequencia de Candida spp. e associando a fatores de risco intrinsecos e extrinsecos. METODOS: foram coletadas 286 amostras de pacientes atendidas em clinicas e postos de saude entre Agosto de 2005 e Agosto de 2007. Foram 121 mulheres com suspeita e 165 sem suspeita clinica. Com zaragatoas estereis, as amostras foram coletadas, transportadas ao laboratorio em solucao fisiologica 0,85 por cento, semeadas em CHROMagar Candida e em meio agar Sabouraud 4 por cento com cloranfenicol. Foram realizados os procedimentos classicos para identificacao: macro e micromorfologia, zimograma e auxanograma. Os dados obtidos foram analisados atraves de testes de frequencia e tabelas de contingencia (χ2). RESULTADOS: Um total de 47,9 por cento das mulheres com suspeita clinica obteve confirmacao de candidiase pelos exames laboratoriais. Das pacientes sem suspeita clinica (Grupo Controle), 78,2 por cento foram negativas para candidiase vulvovaginal pelos testes laboratoriais. Candida albicans foi a especie prevalente com 74,5 por cento dos casos. Foram encontradas diferencas significativas para os casos positivos, de acordo com as pacientes das duas cidades avaliadas (p PURPOSE: to study vulvovaginal candidiasis from the vaginal fluid of women with and without clinical suspicion, identifying the frequency of Candida spp., and associating it with intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors. METHODS: a total of 286 samples from patients attended in private practices and public health units from August 2005 to August 2007 were collected, being 121 women under clinical suspicion and 165, without. The samples were collected with sterile swabs, taken to the laboratory in 0.85 percent physiological solution, and then seeded in CHROMagar Candida and in 4 percent agar Sabourad with chloramphenicol. Classical identification procedures were carried out: macro and micromorphology, zymogram and auxanogram. Data obtained were analyzed by frequency tests and contingency tables (χ2). RESULTS: a total of 47.9 percent of the women under clinical suspicion got confirmation of candidiasis by the laboratorial tests. Among the patients without clinical suspicion (Control Group), 78.2 percent were vulvovaginal candidiasis negative according to the laboratorial tests. Candida albicans was the prevalent strain in 74.5 percent of the cases. There were significant differences among the positive cases, according to the patients from the two cities evaluated (p