Prevalence of vaginal infection by candida subtypes in women with HIV compared to the control group and influence of immune status

Introduction: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), caused by Candida sp, may present with increased frequency and symptoms in immunocompromised patients, and there is concern about the diagnosis and adequate treatment of these patients. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of VVC compared to the immune status and species present in the microbiota of patients with HIV. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2017 to January 2018, including 97 women with HIV compared to a control group (n=112). For data collection, interviews were conducted, vaginal pH was measured, CD4+ T cells and viral load (VL) were evaluated, and vaginal secretions were collected for microscopy and culture. Results: The prevalence of VVC was 41.2% in seropositive patients and 3.6% in the control group (p