Abstract: Objective To study the distribution of genotypes of Candida albicans isolated from different body sites of patients with candidal vulvovaginitis(CVV).Methods PCR was designed to amplify group I intron-containing region in25S rDNA of Candida albicans.The strains of Candida albicans could be classified into three genotypes:genotype A(~450bp),B(~840bp)and C(~450bp and ~840bp),on the basis of different ranges of bands of amplicons.Results Sixty women with CVV were recruited,of whom54were caused by Candida albicans.Among the54patients 39 had non-recurrent CVV and 15 had recurrent CVV(RCVV).Candida albicans could be isolated simultaneously from different body sites in32of54patients,including 19(19/39) with non-RCVV and 13(13/15) with RCVV.A total of 92 strains of Candida albicans were isolated from vagina,tongue and anus in54patients with CVV.Eighty strains of genotype A,8of genotype B and4of genotype C were found.The same genotypes of Candida albicans in different body sites were identified in24patients,and the different genotypes were identified in 8 patients.Conclusion Genotype A is predominant in CVV.The other two genotypes(B and C)are not commonly seen,and mainly isolated from non-vaginal sites.The colonization of Candida albicans in the non-vagina sites is more frequent in RCVV than that in CVV,and the intestinal reservoir theory may play a role in the relapse of RCVV.

Key words: Candidiasis,vulvovaginal, Candida albicans, Genotype