Abstract
Twenty Candida albicans strains isolated from women attended at the Teaching and Research in the Laboratory of Teaching and Research in Clinical Analysis of the State University of Maringa, Paraná, Brazil, have been analyzed. Yeasts were identified by classical methods and patients subdivided into asymptomatic, vulvovaginal candidiasis(VVC) and recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) groups. Yeasts were incubated in RPMI + fetal calf serum to analyze germ tubes every two hours, up to 10 h. In vitro sensitivity to fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, amphotericin B and nystatin was analyzed according to NCCLS-M27-A microdilution assay. Yeast isolated from symptomatic women produced significantly more germ tubes than asymptomatic women (P < 0.05). However, no significant difference between yeasts from VVC and RVVC occurred (P > 0.05). Variation between MIC50 and MIC90 of tested antifungal agents was slight among isolated yeasts, while no resistant yeasts were detected. Nevertheless, VVC yeasts were more DDS (reduced dose-dependent susceptibility) for nystatin and RVVC were more DDS for ketoconazole. Results suggest that colonization by yeast in the vagina and lack of symptoms may be partially explained by the yeast’s sparse capacity to form germ tubes, On the other hand, RVVC was not associated with antimicrobial resistance. DDS high frequency for nystatin and ketoconazole indicates that identification, and susceptibility of antifungals tests are important to management of VVC.
Similar content being viewed by others
![](https://media.springernature.com/w215h120/springer-static/image/art%3Aplaceholder%2Fimages/placeholder-figure-springernature.png)
References
GB Ziarrusta (2001) ArticleTitleVulvovaginitis candidiásica Rev Iberoam Micol 19 22–24
JD Sobel (1993) ArticleTitleCandidal vulvovaginitis Clin Obstet Gynecol 36 153–212 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByyC28bosVc%3D Occurrence Handle8435940
WL Chaffin JL López-Ribot M Casanova D Gozalbo JP Martínez (1998) ArticleTitleCell wall and secreted proteins of Candida albicans: Identification, function, and expression Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 62 130–180 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXitF2jsb8%3D Occurrence Handle9529890
KA Hammer CF Carson TV Riley (2000) ArticleTitleMalaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil inhibits germ tube formation by Candida albicans Med Mycol 38 355–362 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3MzitF2nsA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle11092382
FC Odds CE Webster P Mayuranathan PD Simmons (1988) ArticleTitleCandida concentrations in the vagina and their association with signs and symptoms. of vaginal candidosis J Med Vet Mycol 26 277–283 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BiaC2sjoslM%3D Occurrence Handle3236147
H Lo JR Köhler B Didornenico D Loebenberg A Cacciapuoti GR Fink (1997) ArticleTitleNonfilatnentous C. albicans mutants are avirulent Cell 90 939–949 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0092-8674(00)80358-X Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXmtV2htro%3D Occurrence Handle9298905
JD Sobel (1996) Fungal diseases in genitourinary medicine CC Kibbler DWR Mackenzie FC Odds (Eds) Principles and Pratice of Clinical Mycology Wiley England 179–199
JD Sobel W Chaim (1997) ArticleTitleTreatment of Torulopsis glabrata vaginitis: Retrospective review of boric acid therapy Clin Infect Dis 24 649–652 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXisFWrurs%3D Occurrence Handle9145739
IB Enwani HC Gugnani R Okobia SB Ojo (2001) ArticleTitleEffect of contraceptives on the prevalence of vaginal colonization with Candida species in Edo State Nigeria. Rev Iberoam Micol 18 171–173
DH Larone (1995) Medically Important Fungi. A Guide to Identification AMS Press Washington
CP Kurtzman JW Fell (1998) The Yeast. A Taxonomic Study Elsevier Amsterdam
T Sugita S Kurosaka M Yajitate H Sato A Nishikawa (2002) ArticleTitleExtracellular proteinase and phospholipase activity of three genotypic strains of a human pathogenic yeast, Candida albicans Microbiol Immunol 46 881–883 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXhtFKju7s%3D Occurrence Handle12597363
Consolaro MEL, Albertoni TA, Yoshida CS, Mazucheli Peralta RM, Sviszinski TIE. Correlation of Candida species and symptoms among patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis in Maringá, Paraná, Brazil. Rev Iberoam Micol 2004; 21: 202–205
MMS Vilela K Kamei A Sano R Tanaka J Uno I Takahashi J Ito K Yarita M Miyji (2002) ArticleTitlePathogenicity and virulence of Candida dubliniensis: Comparison with C. albicans Med Mycol 40 249–257 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD38zpslertw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle12146754
National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS). Reference method for broth dilution antifungal susceptibility testing of yeasts. Approved standard M27-A. Wayne PA NCCLS 1997; 17: 1–8
JD Sobel G Muller HR Buckley (1984) ArticleTitleCritical role of germ tube formation in the pathogenesis of candidal vaginitis Infect Immun 44 576–580 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BiuB3M7ht10%3D Occurrence Handle6327527
T Akashi T Kanbe K. Tanaka (1994) ArticleTitleThe role of the cytoskeleton in the polarized growth of the germ tube in Candida albicans Microbiology 140 271–280 Occurrence Handle8180692
A Felk M Kretschmar A Albrecht M Schaller S Beinhauer T Nichterlein D Sanglard HC Korting W Schafer B Hube (2002) ArticleTitleCandida albicans hyphal formation and the expression of the Efg1-regulated proteinases Sap 4 to Sap 6 are required for the invasion of parenchymal organs Infect Immun 70 3689–3700 Occurrence Handle10.1128/IAI.70.7.3689-3700.2002 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XkvV2ks7w%3D Occurrence Handle12065511
JM Jones (1990) ArticleTitleLaboratory diagnosis of invasive candidiasis Clin Microbiol Rev 3 32–45 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:By%2BC38vhslI%3D Occurrence Handle2404567
PL Fidel SuffixJr JD Sobel (1996) ArticleTitleImmunopathogenesis of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis Rev Clin Microbiol 9 335–348
A Duerr MF Sierra J Feldman LM Clarke I Ehrlich J DeHovitz (1997) ArticleTitleImmune compromised and prevalence of Candida vulvovaginitis in human immunodeficiency virus-infected women Obst Gynecol 90 252– 256 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0029-7844(97)00253-6 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByiA1crislU%3D
B Hube D Hess CA Baker M Schaller W Schäfer W Dolan (2001) ArticleTitleThe role and relevance of phospholipase D1 during growth and dimorphism of Candida albicans Microbiology 147 879–889 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXjtVeisL8%3D Occurrence Handle11283284
Y Imanishi K Yokoyama K Nishimura (2004) ArticleTitleInductions of germ tube hyphal formation are controlled by mRNA synthesis inhibitor in Candida albicans Jpn J Med Mycol 45 113–119 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXlsF2gs74%3D
MA Ribeiro R Dietze CR Paula DA Matta AL. Colombo (2000) ArticleTitleSusceptibility profile of vaginal yeasts isolates from Brazil Mycopathologia 151 5–10 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1010909504071
Sobel JD.Vulvovaginitis due to Candida glabrata. An emerging problem. Mycoses 1998 (supp12):18–22
ME Lynch JD Sobel PL Fidel SuffixJr (2000) ArticleTitleRole of antifungal drug resistance in the pathogenesis of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis J Med Vet Mycol 34 337–339
PL Fidel SuffixJr KA Ginsburg JL Cutright NA Wolf D Leoman K Dunlap JD Sobel (1997) ArticleTitleVaginal-associated immunity in woman with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis: evidence for vaginal Th1-type responses following intravaginal challenge with Candida antigen J Clin Infect Dis 176 728–739 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXmtFentrg%3D
PL Fidel SuffixJr JA Vasquez JD Sobel (1999) ArticleTitleCandida glabrata, review of epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical disease with comparison to Candida albicans Clin Microbiol Rev 12 80–96 Occurrence Handle9880475
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Consolaro, M.E.L., Albertoni, T. ., Svidzinski, A.E. et al. Vulvovaginal candidiasis is associated with the production of germ tubes by Candida albicans. Mycopathologia 159, 501–507 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-005-1149-0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-005-1149-0