Vulvovaginal candidiasis is associated with the production of germ tubes by Candida albicans.

Twenty Candida albicans strains isolated from women attended at the Teaching and Research in the Laboratory of Teaching and Research in Clinical Analysis of the State University of Maringa, Paraná, Brazil, have been analyzed. Yeasts were identified by classical methods and patients subdivided into asymptomatic, vulvovaginal candidiasis(VVC) and recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) groups. Yeasts were incubated in RPMI + fetal calf serum to analyze germ tubes every two hours, up to 10 h. In vitro sensitivity to fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, amphotericin B and nystatin was analyzed according to NCCLS-M27-A microdilution assay. Yeast isolated from symptomatic women produced significantly more germ tubes than asymptomatic women (P < 0.05). However, no significant difference between yeasts from VVC and RVVC occurred (P > 0.05). Variation between MIC50 and MIC90 of tested antifungal agents was slight among isolated yeasts, while no resistant yeasts were detected. Nevertheless, VVC yeasts were more DDS (reduced dose-dependent susceptibility) for nystatin and RVVC were more DDS for ketoconazole. Results suggest that colonization by yeast in the vagina and lack of symptoms may be partially explained by the yeast's sparse capacity to form germ tubes, On the other hand, RVVC was not associated with antimicrobial resistance. DDS high frequency for nystatin and ketoconazole indicates that identification, and susceptibility of antifungals tests are important to management of VVC.