Epidemiological investigation of patients with vulvovaginal candidosis. Application of a resistogram method for strain differentiation of Candida albicans.

Abstract

The resistogram method was applied to 420 isolates of C. albicans obtained from 30 selected patients undergoing treatment for vulvovaginitis. Of these, 16 patients each harbored a particular C. albicans strain which persisted in the mouth, intestinal tract or both. In 3 of these patients, this strain persisted in the genital tract and in 8 patients, it later recolonized the genital tract. Fourteen patients harbored more than 1 C. albicans strain; 1 failed to respond to treatment and continued to harbor the same strain in the genital tract, in 5 the original strain later recolonized the genital tract and a 2nd strain remained confined to the mouth or intestinal tract or both and in 3 a 2nd strain present in the intestinal tract later colonized the genital tract. Each male partners of 7 patients harbored a C. albicans strain identical to the strain or to 1 strain isolated from his female partner.