N Song1, S Kan2, Q Pang3, H Mei1, H Zheng1,4, D Li16, F Cui6, G Lv1, R An7, P Li8, Z Xiong9, S Fan10, M Zhang11, Y Chen12, Q Qiao13, X Liang14, M Cui15, D Li16, Q Liao17, X Li1,4, W Liu1,4,18. 1. Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, China. 2. Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Department of Medical Mycology, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. 3. Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. 4. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Skin Diseases and STIs, Nanjing, China. 5. Department of Microbiology/Immunology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA. 6. Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China. 7. The First Affiliated Teaching Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China. 8. Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. 9. The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. 10. Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China. 11. The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China. 12. The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China. 13. The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Huhehaote, China. 14. Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China. 15. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China. 16. The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China. 17. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medical, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. 18. Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is frequent in women of reproductive age, but very limited data are available on the epidemiology in cases of VVC in China. OBJECTIVES: The current study has been conducted to reveal the prevalence, species distribution of yeast causing VVC and molecular genetics of Candida albicans in China. METHODS: Vaginal swabs were collected from 543 VVC outpatients recruited in 12 hospitals in China between September 2017 and March 2018. They were preliminarily incubated on Sabouraud dextrose agar and then positive subjects of which were then transmitted to our institute for further identification. CHROMagar™ was used to isolate Candida species, and all isolates were finally identified by DNA sequencing. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used to analyse phylogenetic relationships of the various C. albicans isolates. RESULTS: Eleven different yeast species were identified in 543 isolates, among which C. albicans (84.7%) was the most frequent, followed by C. glabrata (8.7%). We obtained 117 unique diploid sequence types from 451 clinical C. albicans isolates and 92 isolates (20.4%) belonged to a New Clade. All the strains appearing in the New Clade were from northern China and they were isolated from non-recurrent VVC. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that C. albicans are still the main cause of VVC in China and the majority of C. albicans isolates belongs to Clade 1 with DST 79 and DST 45 being two most common. Moreover, the New Clade revealed in our study seems to be specific to northern China.
BACKGROUND: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is frequent in women of reproductive age, but very limited data are available on the epidemiology in cases of VVC in China. OBJECTIVES: The current study has been conducted to reveal the prevalence, species distribution of yeast causing VVC and molecular genetics of Candida albicans in China. METHODS: Vaginal swabs were collected from 543 VVC outpatients recruited in 12 hospitals in China between September 2017 and March 2018. They were preliminarily incubated on Sabouraud dextrose agar and then positive subjects of which were then transmitted to our institute for further identification. CHROMagar™ was used to isolate Candida species, and all isolates were finally identified by DNA sequencing. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used to analyse phylogenetic relationships of the various C. albicans isolates. RESULTS: Eleven different yeast species were identified in 543 isolates, among which C. albicans (84.7%) was the most frequent, followed by C. glabrata (8.7%). We obtained 117 unique diploid sequence types from 451 clinical C. albicans isolates and 92 isolates (20.4%) belonged to a New Clade. All the strains appearing in the New Clade were from northern China and they were isolated from non-recurrent VVC. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that C. albicans are still the main cause of VVC in China and the majority of C. albicans isolates belongs to Clade 1 with DST 79 and DST 45 being two most common. Moreover, the New Clade revealed in our study seems to be specific to northern China.
Authors: Betty Akwongo; Esther Katuura; Anthony M Nsubuga; Patience Tugume; Morgan Andama; Godwin Anywar; Mary Namaganda; Savina Asimwe; Esezah Kyomugisha Kakudidi Journal: Trop Med Health Date: 2022-10-14