In vitro fluconazole susceptibility of Candida species isolated from vulvovaginal candidiasis

Dr. Seema P. Khetan; Dr. Poornima Dhandale; Dr. Mohuniddin Qazi

Volume : VII, Issue : XII, December - 2017

In vitro fluconazole susceptibility of Candida species isolated from vulvovaginal candidiasis

Dr. Seema P. Khetan, Dr. Poornima Dhandale, Dr. Mohuniddin Qazi

Abstract :

Introduction–Vaginal candidiasis is a common problem and increasing disease in women. The purpose of this study was to determine the species distribution and fluconazole susceptibility of Candida species isolated from patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis by disk diffusion method. The non albicans Candida species exhibit variable susceptibilities to both new and established antifungal agents; this has made the need for prompt identification of these non albicans Candida.

Methods: Two vaginal swabs from each patient were processed by microscopy and culture to know the prevalence of candidial vulvovaginitis and to study their fluconazole susceptibility pattern by disk diffusion method.

Results: The most common risk factor associated with vulvovaginal candidiasis was pregnancy and the commonest species isolated was C.albicans. In nonalbicans candida,C.glaata.was more common.By disk diffusion method 82.71% of Candida isolates were susceptible to fluconazole. Specieswisesusceptibility to fluconazole wasC.albicans72(93.51%),C.glaata28(65.12%) andC.tropicalis10(90.91%). All (100%) C.krusei strains were resistant to fluconazole by disk diffusion method. The difference in susceptibility ofC.albicans and nonalbicans candidato fluconazole is statistically significant (p=0.000, highly significant).

Conclusions: There is a significant increase in prevalence of infection due to Candida non–albicans species, particularly, C.glaata and C.tropicalis. The presence of resistance to fluconazole among the different species of Candidanonalbicans emphasizes the need for early isolation, speciation and routine susceptibility testing of fungi in all mycology laboratories to control the further spread of resistance.