Background: This study aims to investigate the occurrence of vulvovaginal infections, to describe and to relate the hygiene habits of women who were treated at the Units of Primary Attention to Family Health in a municipality in the interior of Brazil. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that was carried out in two Primary Health Care Units of the Family of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The population sample consisted of 100 women who underwent gynecological consultation in the health units. Data were collected through interviews and by the analysis of medical records. Results were reported according to laboratory reports. Results: The participants' ages ranged from 18 to 45 years, with a median of 36 years. Thirty women (30%) presented alterations in the microbiota from a Pap smear, where bacterial vaginosis (diagnosed with Amsel criteria) was the predominant microorganism (83.3%). More than half of the women in the study who had vulvovaginitis wore cotton panties (70%, p = 0.651) and tight jeans/pants (83.3%, p = 0.010). The habit of depilating the genital area was reported by all the women, with the razor blade being the most commonly used tool (68%; p = 0.196). Conclusion: Bacterial vaginosis was the most commonly reported infection in the cytological exams. Care with genitalia and genital hygiene habits may be associated with the occurrence of vulvovaginitis.
| Introduction: Vulvovaginal candidiasisoccurs in about 75% of all women during reproductive age, and around half of those will have at least one recurrent episode. Objectives: To evaluate the occurrence of Candida species in the genital tract of women attending a clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the University Hospital for gynecological interventions, related to signs and symptoms of infection and also to evaluate the susceptibility to antifungal agents of the Candida isolates. Methods and materials: Samples of vaginal secretions were taken of 128 women during gynecological and colposcopic examination, through sterile swab, to carry out culture for fungi. Susceptibility tests were performed for fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, nystatin and amphotericin B. Results: Twenty (15.6%) patients had positive culture for yeasts identified as: C. albicans (57.1%), C. glabrata (19%), C. parapsilosis complex (4.8%), C. lipolytica (4.8%), Trichosporon sp (9.5%), and Rhodotorula sp (4.8%). Ninety women (70.3%) reported no symptoms and 38 (29.6%) were symptomatic. The most frequent complaints were: discharge, vulval itching, and dyspareunia. All isolates were susceptible to the antifungal agents tested, except for some isolates of C. parapsilosis complex, which showed in vitro resistance to itraconazole. Conclusions: Although Candida species were isolated in only some of the women, C. albicans was the most common species. The more frequent complaints were discharge and vulvar itching. Most of the isolates were susceptible to the antifungals tested.
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