• Luciene Setsuko Akimoto Gunther, Helen Priscila Rodrigues Martins, Fabrícia Gimenes, André Luelsdorf Pimenta de Abreu, Marcia Edilaine Lopes Consolaro, and Terezinha Inez Estivalet Svidzinski.
• Department of Clinical Analysis and Biomedicine, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
• Sao Paulo Med J. 2014 Jan 1; 132 (2): 116120116-20.

Context And ObjectiveVulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is caused by abnormal growth of yeast-like fungi on the female genital tract mucosa. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are more susceptible to fungal infections, including those caused by species of Candida. The present study investigated the frequency of total isolation of vaginal Candida spp., and its different clinical profiles - colonization, VVC and recurrent VVC (RVVC) - in women with DM type 2, compared with non-diabetic women. The cure rate using fluconazole treatment was also evaluated.Design And SettingCross-sectional study conducted in the public healthcare system of Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.MethodsThe study involved 717 women aged 17-74 years, of whom 48 (6.7%) had DM type 2 (mean age: 53.7 years), regardless of signs and symptoms of VVC. The yeasts were isolated and identified using classical phenotypic methods.ResultsIn the non-diabetic group (controls), total vaginal yeast isolation occurred in 79 (11.8%) women, and in the diabetic group in 9 (18.8%) (P = 0.000). The diabetic group showed more symptomatic (VVC + RVVC = 66.66%) than colonized (33.33%) women, and showed significantly more colonization, VVC and RVVC than seen among the controls. The mean cure rate using fluconazole was 75.0% in the diabetic group and 86.7% in the control group (P = 0.51).ConclusionWe found that DM type 2 in Brazilian women was associated with yeast colonization, VVC and RVVC, and similar isolation rates for C. albicans and non-albicans species. Good cure rates were obtained using fluconazole in both groups.

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