Prevalence and clinico-mycological profile of vulvovaginal candidiasis in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Vulvovaginal candidiasis is an infectious condition caused by Candida and its species remains a global health morbidity among females especially in the reproductive age group. Vulvovaginal candidiasis has been associated with variable clinical profile and being a potential relationship with obstetric morbidities, the prevalence still remains high. The emergence of Non albicans species and its diagnosis at laboratory levels remains a challenge to the pathologists often warranting a supportive diagnostic modalities. The present study had been aimed to monitor the prevalence of vulvovaginal candidiasis in our tertiary care hospital and correlate the clinic-mycological profile with pathological findings on light microscopy.Methods: All patients presented with specific clinical symptoms of reproductive age group were included. With few exclusion criteria, the clinical history was obtained and high vaginal smears were collected and stained with Papanicalou stain and pathological interpretation was documented. In few available and indicated cases, culture procedure was performed. The data obtained were compared and correlated with clinical and laboratory diagnostic findings.Results: Among 125 cases studies, 62 positive cases for Candidiasis were reported with an approximate incidence of 50%. Further speciation identification showed C. albicans positivity in 45 cases and 17 cases for non albicans species. Women of second and third decade were predominantly affected by vulvovaginal candidiasis with abdominal pain and pruritis being a common clinical presentation. Conclusions: The prevalence of vulvovaginal candidiasis is on higher margin especially among reproductive age group. Clinical profile must be further correlated with laboratory data for speciation, thereby guiding in prompt and appropriate treatment modalities on best patient care