Evaluation and comparison of clinical and para clinical diagnosis of Candida vaginitis in women referred to Shahrood city health care centers, years between 2004-2007

ABSTRACT

Candida vaginitis is the second common cause of vaginitis and Candida albicans is cause of 90 percent of vaginal fungal infections. Because antifungal drugs are among the cheapest vaginal drugs, this study was performed to evaluate and compare clinical and paraclinical diagnosis of Candida vaginitis in women referred to health care centers in Shahrood cityfrom 2004 to 2007. This descriptive-analytic research was performed on 300 women with vaginitis infections who were referred to the Shahrood city health care centers. Two samples of secretions were taken from both endocervix and exocervix using speculum and spread on two glass slides and then one sample was taken from posterior culdesac secretions with a cotton soup and entered into a tube containing sterilized physiological serum. A questionnaire was filled out by a midwife for every patient. Standard laboratory methods [cultures, Pap smear, wet smear and etc.] were used to evaluate the samples and the second questionnaire was filled out by the midwife. Finally, results were analyzed by statistical methods. Based on clinical results, 132 persons [44%] had Candida infection, but the infection was not proved by cell culture in 30 patients [10%], and wet smear in 111 persons [37%]. No Candida infection was found in cytology survey. Based on clinical results, vaginal pH was measured 5.01. The amount of pH was found 5.52, 5.8 and 5.71 based on wet smear cell cultures and Pap smear, respectively. The physical examination sensitivity for detecting vaginal candidiasis was 63.33% compared to the cell culture. The results of this study show that some para-clinical examinations should be considered for diagnosis of vaginal candidiasis. These para-clinical experiments help to prevent and reduce the side effects of some unnecessary medications