Comparison of strain specificity of yeasts from various organs of women with vaginal candidiasis

Abstract

Sexual partners harbour often identical yeast strains in the vagina, orointestinal tract and sperm in cases of recurrent vulvovaginal candidoses. Mycologic cultures from the vagina, mouth and stool of the patient and from the mouth and sperm of her partner were cultured on Sabouraud-Glucose-Agar and, if positive, specified by Candida ID-Agar (Biomerieux), rice agar and the system Walk away (Dade). Equal species were compared by DNR-fingerprinting using PCR. The vagina of 22 women was in 21 cases infected by Candida albicans and in one case by Candida glabrata. The culture of mouth or stool of 18 women was in 11 cases identical with those of the vagina. In 13 cases of 18 sexual male partners Candida albicans was found being identical with the strain of the female partner in 8 cases. 4 of the identical strains were grown from the sperm. Future prospective investigations shall prove whether a consequent treatment of both partners to eradicate all identical yeasts is able to improve the treatment results in such women.