Molecular detection of 18s rrna gene of candida albicans isolated from pregnant women with clinical diagnosis of vulvovaginitis

Background: Vulvovaginitis is a common disease in women during their lifetime and occurs in diabetes patients, during pregnancy and oral contraceptives users. Although several conventional methods are routinely used for determination; however, vulvovaginitis a challenge for patients and gynecologists. Aims and objectives: The aims of the present study was to find out the prevalence of candidial vulvovaginitis, along with Candida albicans and evolution of the 18S rRNA PCR method sensitivity in the detection of Candida albicanis in pregnant women with clinical diagnosis of vulvovaginitis. Materials and Methods: In this study vaginal swabs from 60 patients were used for Gram stain, culture, Api Candida and PCR analysis. PCR was performed with primer pair targeted to the 18S rRNA gene of Candida albicans. The result of the PCR was compared with conventional Gram stain, culture and Api Candida methods. The PCR positive samples were identified by presence of ~ 400 bp amplicon of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the 18S rRNA gene. Results: Conventional methods of microscopic examination, candidial culture and Api Candida test gave a positive result in 22 of 60 samples of vulvovaginitis. PCR detected all 22 samples that were positive by conventional method. Three of the 38 samples that were negative by conventional method were positive by PCR. Statistical analysis revealed that the PCR to have a sensitivity of 94.5 % in the detection of Candida albicans in vulvovaginitis. Conclusion: PCR is a sensitive, rapid and useful technique to detect Candida albicans in vulvovaginitis.