Jahan, NoorVishnoi, PratishthaGupta, BhavanaSrivastava, SwatiAhmad, SirajKhatoon, Razia2020-04-092020-04-092020-02Jahan Noor, Vishnoi Pratishtha, Gupta Bhavana, Srivastava Swati, Ahmad Siraj, Khatoon Razia. Identification of various Candida species isolated from patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis attending a tertiary care hospital in North India. International Journal of Advances in Medicine. 2020 Feb; 7(2): 261-2662349-39252349-3933http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/194578Background: Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (VVC) is a condition diagnosed in a large proportion of women presenting with complaints of abnormal vaginal discharge. The risk of VVC is high in women with diabetes mellitus, pregnancy, using oral contraceptives or broad-spectrum antibiotics and those having Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection.Objective of the present study was to identify the various species of Candida isolated from patients with Vulvovaginal Candidiasis.Methods: A cross-sectional study was done from January to June 2018. A total of 69 clinically suspected VVC cases were included in the study whose high vaginal swabs were collected and subjected to direct microscopy and cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA). Creamy white pigmented colonies on SDA were confirmed as Candida by doing Gram抯 staining. Speciation of positive cultures was confirmed by conventional methods like Corn Meal agar culture, Germ tube test (GTT), Candida CHROM Agar Medium (CAM), sugar assimilation and fermentation test.Results: Out of 69 clinically suspected VVC cases included in the study, only 14 cultures were positive for Candida species. All the 14 isolates were found to be Non-albicans Candida (NAC). Most common species isolated were Candida glabrata 7(50%), followed by Candida tropicalis 3(21.4%), Candida lusitaniae 3(21.4%), and Candida parapsilosis 1 (7.1%).Conclusions: Candida albicans was known to be the most common causative agent of VVC as it was isolated in 90% cases. However, this study showed that all isolates from VVC were Non-albicans Candida. Therefore, species identification should be done in all microbiology laboratories for accurate diagnosis of VVC.Candida CHROM agar mediumCorn meal agarNon-albicans candidaVulvovaginal candidiasisJournal ArticleIndiaDepartment of Microbiology, Integral Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Integral University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Saaii College of Medical Science and Technology, Chaubepur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 4Department of Community Medicine, Integral Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Integral University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaDepartment of Microbiology, Hind Institute of Medical Sciences, Mau, Ataria, Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, India