@article{3099394,
    title = "Prevalence of clinical vaginal candidiasis in a university hospital and
possible risk factors",
    author = "Grigoriou, Odysseas and Baka, Stavroula and Makrakis, Evangelos and and Hassiakos, Dimitrios and Kapparos, George and Kouskouni, Evangelia",
    journal = "EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS GYNECOLOGY AND REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY",
    year = "2006",
    volume = "126",
    number = "1",
    pages = "121-125",
    publisher = "Elsevier",
    issn = "0301-2115",
    doi = "10.1016/j.ejogrb.2005.09.015",
    keywords = "vaginal candidiasis; vaginitis; hospital infections",
    abstract = "Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of
symptomatic vaginal candidiasis and probable predisposing factors in a
university-based hospital.
Study design: A total of 576 cases of clinical vaginal candidiasis were
enrolled in this survey and wet mount preparations, Gram-stained smears
and vaginal cultures were assessed. Possible risk factors, such as
pregnancy, diabetes mellitus, contraceptive and antibiotic use were
evaluated.
Results: Clinical vaginal candidiasis was detected in 12.1% of the
cases. Candida albicans was isolated in 80.2% of patients and
non-albicans species in 19.8%. Pruritus was the most common symptom
(85.9%), followed by vaginal discharge (66.1%), soreness (31.1%) and
dyspareunia (5.0%). Reproductive age, pregnancy, diabetes,
contraception as well as recent antibiotic use correlated positively
with both C. albicans and non-albicans isolates. Soreness and
dyspareunia were significantly related to non-albicans species. The
overall recurrence rate was 8.5%. Recurrences correlated positively to
non-albicans infections.
Conclusions: C. albicans was, by far, the predominant yeast isolate.
Non-albicans isolates caused significantly more frequent soreness,
dyspareunia and recurrences than C. albicans. Clinical and laboratory
findings, together with possible predisposing factors must be taken into
consideration in order to achieve appropriate treatment. (C) 2005
Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved."
}