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Update of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis in Pregnant and Non-pregnant Patients

  • Fungal Infections of Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue (A Bonifaz and M Pereira, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of the Review

Candida albicans vulvovaginitis is one of the most frequent symptomatic infections in women and its incidence increases in reproductive age and pregnancy. Currently there are more specific and sensitive tests to identify Candida species that are resistant to antifungal agents, such as PCR and MALDI TOF MS, in order to improve prognosis.

Recent Findings

The genus Candida is part of the microbiota in humans; however, many species can become pathogenic. Vulvovaginitis caused by non-albicans Candida are becoming very important due to their high levels of antifungal resistance, which makes treatment difficult. Therefore, in addition to using phenotypic, biochemical tests, molecular analyses should be used to improve diagnosis and give appropriate treatment.

Summary

Both in childhood and in reproductive age, women are exposed to several episodes of vulvovaginitis, mainly due to bacteria and fungi, due to various risk factors. Among the fungi, the most common agent is Candida albicans and within the non-albicans is Candida glabrata, but there are other species related to greater resistance and recurrence.

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Author notes

  1. Tito Ramírez-Lozada and Víctor Manuel Espinosa-Hernández these authors contributed equally so they must be considered co-first authors

    This article is part of the Topical Collection on Fungal Infections of Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unidad de Ginecología y Obstetricia, Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de Ixtapaluca, Carretera Federal México – Puebla Km. 34.5, Pueblo de Zoquiapan, 56530, Ixtapaluca, Estado de México, México

    Tito Ramírez-Lozada

  2. Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de Ixtapaluca, Carretera Federal México – Puebla Km. 34.5, Pueblo de Zoquiapan, 56530, Ixtapaluca, Estado de México, México

    Víctor Manuel Espinosa-Hernández, María Guadalupe Frías-De-León & Erick Martínez-Herrera

  3. Maestría en Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón s/n, Col. Casco de Santo Tomas, C.P. 11340, Alcaldía Miguel Hidalgo, Ciudad de México, Mexico

    Víctor Manuel Espinosa-Hernández

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  1. Tito Ramírez-Lozada
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Correspondence to Erick Martínez-Herrera.

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Tito Ramírez-Lozada, Victor Manuel Espinosa-Hernandez, María Guadalupe Frías-De-León, and Erick Martinez-Herrera declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this manuscript.

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Ramírez-Lozada, T., Espinosa-Hernández, V.M., Frías-De-León, M.G. et al. Update of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis in Pregnant and Non-pregnant Patients. Curr Fungal Infect Rep 13, 181–190 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12281-019-00357-3

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