Abstract: Objective To genotype Candida strains by random amplified polymorphic DNA(RAPD)technique,and to analyse the analogy of different Candida strains based on similarity coefficient.Methods Candida strains were isolated from vaginal secretion taken from patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis by Sabouraud's dextrose agar,C.albicans was differentiated from non-C.albicans strains by germ tube test,chlamydospore test and CHROM agar-Candida,and further identified by API 20c Aux test Kits.The genomic DNA of 45 Candida isolates,including Candida albicans,Candida glabrata,Candida krusei,Candida parapsilosis and Candida tropicalis were amplified by RAPD,and DNA polymorphisms of interspecies and intraspecies were evaluated by using the DNA pattern-clustering of 5 primers.Results Thirty strains of C.albicans could be classified into 7 groups,and further divided into 19 subgroups,while15strains of non-C.albicans could be identified to species level.C.albicans isolates were related to each other with the similarity coefficients of more than 90%,while different Candida species were connected to each other with the similarity coefficients of 80%~90%.Conclusion C.albicans,which is the predominant pathogen of vulvovaginal candidiasis,could be classified into different genotypes by use of RAPD method.

Key words: Candidiasis,vulvovaginal, Candida, Genotype