Strain specificity of yeasts isolated from different localisations of women suffering from vaginal candidosis, and their partners

Sexual partners harbour often identical yeast strains in the vagina, oroint estinal tr act and sperm in cases of recurrent vulvovaginal candidoses. Myc ologic cultures from the vagina, mouth and stool of the patient and from th e mouth and sperm of her partner were cultured on Sabouraud-Glucose-Agar an d, if positive, specified by Candida ID-Agar (Biomerieux), rice agar and th e system Walk away (Dade). Equal species were compared by DNR-fingerprintin g using PCR. The vagina of 22 women was in 21 cases infected by Candida alb icans and in one case by Candida glabrata. The culture of mouth or stool of 18 women was in 11 cases identical with those of the vagina. In 13 cases o f 18 sexual male partners Candida albicans was found being identical with t he strain of the female partner in 8 cases. 4 of the identical strains were grown from the sperm. Future prospective investigations shall prove whethe r a consequent tretmant of both partners to eradicate all identical yeasts is able to improve the treatment results in such women.