TORULOPSIS-GLABRATA VAGINITIS

Objective: To study the sociodemographic risk factors and clinical fea tures of Torulopsis glabrata vaginal infection. Methods: We evaluated the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of 86 consecutive sy mptomatic women attending a vaginitis clinic and isolated T glabrata. Case patients were compared with a control group of 174 asymptomatic w omen with negative vaginal cultures and an additional group of 625 sym ptomatic women with vaginal cultures positive for Candida albicans. In addition, the sensitivity of the isolates to the more common antimyco tic agents used was tested by the modified Kirby-Bauer method. Results : Patients with T glabrata vaginal infection were from lower socioecon omic backgrounds and had less education. They were more likely to use vaginal tampons and to be seropositive for human immunodeficiency viru s than were negative controls. Compared with C albicans infection, T g labrata was more frequent among women over 38 years of age and in thos e with less education and of lower social class. In logistic regressio n analysis, T glabrata was associated more frequently with recurrent v aginal candidiasis than was C albicans (odds ratio 2.46, 95% confidenc e interval 1.33-4.54; P = .004). Six of the 86 (7%) T glabrata isolate s and none of the C albicans isolates (P < .001 by Fisher exact test) were resistant to the imidazole derivatives tested. Conclusion: Torulo psis glabrata was isolated in 10% of women with vulvovaginal candidias is attending a vaginitis clinic. This infection was associated with re current vaginitis in almost one-third of case patients presenting with symptoms.