Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2015;37(7):314-318
DOI 10.1590/S0100-720320150005098
To identify the predominant species and the role of sexual partners in the maintenance of recurrent vulvovaginitis by Candida spp.
A prospective study of 830 patients aged 18 to 65 years with yeast vaginitis was performed between August 2007 and March 2012. Patients with diabetes mellitus, AIDS or taking corticosteroids, antibiotics or hormone therapy and immunosuppressed patients, patients using vaginal douches, spermicides or intrauterine devices were excluded from the study. Candida species were identified by phenotypic and genotypic methods. The chi-square test was used to correlate the presence of Candida spp. in male partners with the recurrence of vaginitis.
The fungal agent was isolated from a total of 40 women, 24 with recurrent vaginitis and from 15 of their sexual partners, 10 of whom were asymptomatic while 5 were symptomatic. There was agreement of the species found in the couple in 100% of recurrences. C. albicans (62.4 and 60%), C. glabrata (29.1 and 33.3%) and C. guilliermondii species were identified. Candida tropicalis (4.1%) was isolated from only one patient. Candida albicans was isolated from the remaining 16 women who had uncomplicated vaginitis. C. glabrata was isolated from only two of the asymptomatic partners.
There was a predominance of C. albicans and symptomatic or asymptomatic partners can play an important role as a reservoir and source of transmission of yeast, especially in cases of recurrent vulvovaginitis.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2012;34(9):397-402
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032012000900002
PURPOSES: To analyze the sociodemographic and behavioral profile of sex partners, the proportion of those inadequately treated as well as to verify how many of them were inadequately treated and why some were not treated. METHODS: Quantitative study with data collected from May to October, 2008 at five public maternities in Fortaleza, Ceará. A survey was carried out with parturients who were hospitalized with syphilis and had a stable sex partner. We analyzed sociodemographic variables and those related to communication, diagnosis and treatment of sex partners. The data were entered into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and were analyzed using frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion. RESULTS: The study included 56 pregnant women. Most sexual partners were young adults aged on average 29 years, 50% of them had studied for less than seven years, 82.1 worked and 46.4% had a family income of less than a minimum wage. Of all the partners, 92.9% were the child's father and 69.6% lived with the women. Fifty percent and 12% were alcohol and drug users, respectively. Most partners (75.0%) were told about the diagnosis by the women, and in 78.6% of cases they were aware of the VDRL result before or during the prenatal period. However, 25.0% of the women did not communicate the result to their partners for the following reasons: not knowing the importance of the partner's treatment (50.0%), not being together after the diagnosis (42.9%) and having a quarrel (7.1%). Of the partners who were informed about the result before or during the prenatal period, 56.0% were treated and six (42.8%) were considered to have been properly treated. Among the ones who did not receive treatment, 63.6% refused it because they did not feel sick, because they did not believe in the treatment and because they were afraid of injections. CONCLUSIONS: Partners are told about the syphilis diagnosis of the pregnant women; however, only a few are properly treated.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2007;29(2):80-84
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032007000200004
PURPOSE: to relate yeasts identified by laboratory tests to clinical signs and symptoms in patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis, and to investigate the importance of the sexual partners in the recurrence of the infection. METHODS: from July 2001 to July 2003, a sample of 179 patients aged from 18 to 65 years old, with clinical suspicion of fungal vaginitis were analyzed in a prospective study in Great São Paulo. Exclusion criteria included: pregnancy, impaired intrinsic or extrinsic immune response (including Aids), diabetes or immunosuppression; patients undergoing corticosteroid, antibiotic or hormone therapy, in post menopause, with intrauterine device (IUD) or making use of vaginal douches or spemicides. Samples of vaginal and penis secretions from partners of patients with relapse of vaginitis episodes were collected for microscopy and fungal culture. Fungal colonies isolated in CHROMagar Candida were identified by classical methods. Fisher's exact t-test was used to correlate the clinical picture with the yeasts isolated from patients. RESULTS: the most relevant clinical signs and symptoms were pruritus and vaginal discharge followed by erythema and edema, statistically independent from the etiological agent. Direct microscopy revealed yeasts in 77 patients with vulvovaginitis, and 40 Candida spp cultures were obtained. Candida albicans (70%), C. glabrata (20%), C. tropicalis (7,5%) and C. guilliermondii (2,5%) were identified. The yeasts prevalent in partners were C. albicans and C. glabrata. The same species were detected in female and male sex partners in 87% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: fungal vulvovaginitis was more frequent in women between 18 and 34 years old. No correlation was observed between the species of yeast detected and clinical symptomatology. Sexual partners are important Candida spp reservoirs and may be related to the maintenance of the vulvovaginal candidiasis.