Prevalence of Candida albicans, Candida dubliniensis and Candida africana in pregnant women with vulvovaginal candidiasis in Argentina

MUCCI J; CUESTAS ML; LANDABURU MF; MUJICA MT

REVISTA IBEROAMERICANA DE MICOLOGIA

ASOCIACION ESPANOLA MICOLOGIA-AEM

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2017

1130-1406

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is one of the most common condition diagnoses in women seeking gynecological care. In recent years, the taxonomy of the most important Candida species such as C. albicans has undergone significant changes. This study examined the prevalence of C. albicans, C. africana and C. dubliniensis, in vaginal specimens from 210 pregnants with VVC or with asymptomatic colonization. Phenotypic and molecular methods were used for identification of the respective species. During the studied period, 55 isolates of Candida or other yeasts were obtained from specimens collected from 52 patients with VVC (24.8%). In VVC, C. albicans was the predominant Candida species (42 strains; 80.7 %) and it was associated with non- C. albicans (5.7 %, n=3). Additionally, nine isolates of C. albicans (50.0%) were cultured from asymptomatic patients (n=18). C. dubliniensis was implicated as the causative agent of VVC (3.8 %, n=2) and it was identified in one asymptomatic patient. Molecular assays were carried out by specific PCR to amplify the ACT1-associated intron sequence of C. dubliniensis. In addition, the amplification of the HWP1 gene allowed us to verify that isolates were invariably C. dubliniensis and C. albicans. No C. africana was isolated in this study. Some C. albicans isolates were homozygous or heterozygous at the HWP1 locus. The distribution between heterozygous and homozygous isolates of C. albicans at HWP1 locus is very similar between VVC and asymptomatic patients (p= 0.897). We emphasize the presence of C. albicans and C. dublinienisis; and the absence of C. africana in pregnant women.