[Multifocal mycoses in women: prevalence, species characteristics, and some intraspecific features]

The aim of this study was to detect fungi in three ontocenoses of 947 women (aged 20-45). The prevalence of multifocal fungal infections in women varied from 62.2 +/- 2.99% to 81.0 +/- 3.92% in different ontocenoses. They assumed the following mean values: 38.4 +/- 1.77% for the vagina, 42.2 +/- 1.80% for the oral cavity, and 25.0 +/- 1.58% for the anus. The clinical manifestations of sexual organs inflammations were statistically significantly (p < 0.01) more frequent in women infected with fungi than in those without fungi in the vaginal ontocenosis. The highest convergence of the fungi presence with subjective and objective symptoms (assessed using the Yule Q index value) concerned: pruritus of the vulva or/and vaginal walls, burning sensation or painful urethra, as well as oedema of the external opening of the urethra, vulva or/and the vagina (Q from +0.808 to +0.970). However, there was no statistically significant convergence between occurrence of the fungi and vaginal discharge and painful hypogastrium. Based on more than 40 phenotypical features (morphological, biochemical) of the axenic strains originating from vaginal, oral, and anal ontocenoses, a total of 12 species of fungi were identified: Candida albicans, C. guilliermondii, C. krusei, C. tropicalis, C. kefyr, C. utilis, C. humicola, C. viswanathii, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, and Geotrichum candidum. For intraspecific features, depending on the profile of the compounds used for auxanogram, 9 codes were read for Candida albicans and only one code for each of other species was detected. In API ZYM test based on assessment of 19 hydrolase activities the enzymograms of species included from 6 to 11 enzymes.