• Candida species recognized as important causative agents in vaginitis
  • Shirin Farahyar,1,* Zahra Ghahri Mobaser,2 Elham Razmjou,3 Maryam Roudbary,4 Maryam Rahimi,5 Azam Fattahi,6
    1. Microbial Biotechnology Research Center; Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences,
    2. International Campus, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences
    3. Microbial Biotechnology Research Center; Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences,
    4. Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences
    6. Center for Research and Training in Skin Disease and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences


  • Introduction: Vulvovaginal candidiasis is an uncomfortable infection and recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis is a main clinical problem as well. The aim of the study was molecular identification of Candida species in non-pregnant patients with suspected vaginal candidiasis admitted to the Shahid Akbar Abadi Obsterrics & Gynecology teaching hospital (Tehran, Iran).
  • Methods: Vaginal discharge samples were collected from 320 women diagnosed with vaginitis. Clinical isolates were recognized with conventional and molecular methods using PCR for amplification and sequencing of the D1-D2 domain of the large-subunit rRNA gene.
  • Results: One hundred Candida isolates were recognized. Eighty six patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis and fourteen patients with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis were identified. In total fifty one Candida albicans, thirty six Candida glabrata, eight Candida krusei (Pichia kudriavzevii), and five Candida kefyr (Kluyveromyces marxianus) isolates were identified. The D1-D2 sequences of all clinical isolates were deposited in GenBank.
  • Conclusion: In vulvovaginal candidiasis and recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis patients, found Candida albicans to be the most common species, followed by C. glabrata. Identification of Candida species in genital infections is important science some species indicated varying degrees of resistance to antimycotic drugs.
  • Keywords: Candida glabrata, Candida albicans, Vulvovaginal candidiasis, Candida species