The commensal fungus Candida albicans causes mucosal candidiasis in the rapidly expanding number of immunocompromised patients. Mucosal candidiasis includes oropharyngeal, esophageal, gastrointestinal, and vaginal infections. Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and antimycotic-refractory recurrent VVC is a frequent problem in healthy childbearing women. Both these mucosal infections can affect the q...

Purpose: To evaluate the profile of in vitro susceptibility of yeasts isolated from cases of primary and espisodic vulvovaginitis to two antifungal agents. Methods: 40 Candida isolates from episodes of vulvovaginal candidiasis were identified by classic methodologies. The susceptibility testing of the in vitro fluconazole and ketoconazole activity against the isolates was accessed by E-test. Re...

Objective: To evaluate the alpha-defensin (α-DF) genes polymorphism in women with vulvovaginal candidiasis and recurrence. Methods: This observational study included clinical vaginal secretion samples collected over four years from 88 women, ranging in age from 18 to 65 years, from medical centers of São Paulo and Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil. Thirty-six of these women were asymptomatic (control gro...

Purpose Vulvovaginal candidiasis is the most common infection of the vulvovagina which manifests with itching, burning sensation and leucorrhea. Conventional treatments are azoles to which tolerance has been reported, especially in immunosuppressed patients. New studies suggest antifungal effects of ozone, the allotropic form of oxygen. This study compared the effects of ozononated olive oil an...

Vulvovaginal discharge complaints are very common, accounting for more than 10 million U.S. office visits annually and countless phone contacts [1]. Annual medication costs for these complaints are estimated at more than $700 million, with about half this amount spent on overthe-counter (OTC) preparations [2]. The diagnosis of initial vulvovaginal discharge complaints is usually straightforward...