Prevalence of Candida spp. from in women with vulvovaginal infection in Maternity teaching hospital in Erbil, Iraq

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Vulvovaginal candidiasis and its association with some risk factors and the incidence of different species of Candida attending the Maternity hospital in Erbil city.

Methods: A cross-sectional carried out at Maternity teaching hospital, over a period that conducted from July 2019 to January 2020 on females Patient who complained of itching and erythema, vaginal discharge, swelling. A questionnaire form prepared for each patient, which includes: age, clinical presentation and history of pregnancy, diabetes, and history of using contraceptives and the type of contraceptives. High Vaginal Swabs were collected from patients and subjected to direct microscopy, cultured onto Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) and, Blood agar. The results, determined by standard microbiological methods, species identification done by using an automated VITEK 2 compact system.

Results: From the total of 246 high vaginal swabs collected at Maternity hospital in Erbil city and prevalence of vulvovaginal candidiasis was(54.66%). The highest number of positive cases found to be in the age group(30-34) years and  the positive culture was among pregnant women was 71(63.4%) also the prevalence of vulvovaginal candidiasis was higher among diabetic women 44(67.7%),  frequency of culture positive for Candida spp. in the antibiotic users group was 85(64.4%)  and also the positive culture for candida spp was higher among the contraceptive pills31(57.4%)  however for IUCD user the positive culture was 22(66.7%).

Conclusion: In this present study, vulvovaginal candidiasis is more in the young age group and more frequent in the pregnant ladies and the diabetic patients and those using antibiotic and contraceptives, either the pills or Intrauterine contraceptive device. Candida albicans had the highest percentage among other positive isolated from high vaginal swab and there was a significant relation between clinical presentation of the patient with the result of culture.