EPIDEMIOLOGIC AND BIOLOGIC INTERACTIONS BETWEEN VULVOVAGINAL CANDIDIASIS (VVC) AND STAPHYLOCOCCAL INFECTIONS AMONG WOMEN ATTENDING A TERTIARY HEALTH CENTRE IN MAKURDI, BENUE STATE NIGERIA

Aernan, P.T and Umeh, E.U.

Department of Biological Sciences

University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria

tracernan1@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is an inflammatory condition caused by yeast predominantly Candida albicans. To investigate the epidemiology of vulvovaginal  candidiasis. 1116 high vaginal swab samples were collected from female patients who attended the Obstetrics and Gynecology unit of the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi within a twelve month period and were cultured on chocolate blood agar and sabouraud dextrose agar. Three hundred and thirty five (30.0%) of those examined had VVC infections. Candida albicans predominated 280 (83.6%), followed by Candida tropicalis 34 (10.1%) and Candida glabrata 21 (6.3%). One hundred and thirty three (39.7%) of the Vulvovaginal candidiasis patients were co-infected with Staphylococcal infection. VVC was significantly associated with months of the year (r = -.108; p<0.05), diabetes (r = 0.060, p<0.05), pregnancy (r = 0.194; p<0.05), antibiotics (r = 0.108; p<0.05) and use of contraceptive pills (r = .160; p<0.05). VVC was not associated with Staphylococcus infection (r = .027; p<0.05), season (r= – 0.034; p<0.05), age (r -0.024;p<0.05) and occupation (r= -0.022; p<0.05).

Keywords: Vulvovaginal C        andidiasis (VVC), Staphylococcal infections, Sabouraud dextrose agar, Candida glabrata, Candida tropopicalis.