ZINC LEVELS OF SERUM AND CERVICOVAGINAL SECRETION IN RECURRENT VULVO-VAGINAL CANDIDIASIS

Objective-To determine whether zinc deficiency in serum or vulvovagina l secretion is a risk factor for recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. D esign-Prospective and controlled study. Setting-Department of Dermatol ogy, University of Vienna. Subjects-21 women who had experienced at le ast three documented episodes of acute vulvovaginal candidiasis within the previous 12 months. Fifteen women without anamnesis of vulvovagin al candidiasis as a control group. Interventions-Blood samples were dr awn for measurement of plasma zinc levels. Lavage of the vagina and ec tocervix was performed with sterile saline solution for measurement of cervicovaginal zinc levels. Main outcome measures-Zinc levels of seru m and cervicovaginal secretions were determined by flame atomic absorp tion spectrophotometry. Results-We found no significant difference in the mean zinc concentration of plasma and cervicovaginal secretions be tween the recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis and the control group. (p value for serum = 0.71, p value for secretion 0.80). Zinc levels of p lasma and cervicovaginal secretions showed no correlation (patient gro up: r = -0.05, control group: r = -0.07). Conclusion-It is well known that zinc not only exerts a major impact on different immune functions , but also participates in growth and morphogenesis of Candida albican s. Our results could not confirm the previous hypothesis that zinc def iciency of serum is a risk factor in recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasi s. It is possible that the local zinc level of cervicovaginal secretio ns essentially influences antifungal activity of third generation azol e antimycotics.