Abstract:
This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study on vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC)
among women attending the Central STD Clinic in Sri Lanka for the first time. This study
involved 96 participants who visited the Central STD Clinic Colombo from January to
March 2007, for the first time. Data was collected by using an interviewer-administered
questionnaire and by taking two swabs from the lateral vaginal wall from each attendee
during the speculum examination. From one swab, wet mount was prepared using
10percent KOH and other swab was used for culture. Isolates from women who were
symptomatic with heavy growth in the culture were processed further, specification test.
Antifungal susceptibility was done using the standard agar diffusion method developed by
using Neo-sensitab antifungals and modified shadomy agar. The proportion of VVC among
women attending the STD clinic for the first time is 8.33 percent. Symptoms and signs of
VVC are not specific to diagnose VVC. Many of the isolates were Canadida albicans and
the proportion of Candida tropicalis still remain low.
