Perfil epidemiológico de mulheres portadoras de HIV/AIDS atendidas em um hospital de referência na cidade de Fortaleza/CE e caracterização microbiológica de Candida spp isoladas da secreção vaginal

Abstract

The aim of this research was to study the epidemiologic profile of HlV-infected women, seen at the Gynecology Service of the Hospital São José (Fortaleza/CE), in the period of February to May of2002, and the microbiological characteristics oí Candida spp isolated from their vagina. We studied 51 HIV infected women who search for the Gynecology Service during the related period. The socio-demographic profile found in our study is consisted of women aged between 17 and 64 years old, which reported limited schooling, a low family income, and in 54,90% of the cases married or in consensual union with a partner. 37,25% of the women accomplished the HIV test for they know that their partners were infected. The reason of the gynecological consultation more frequently related was the câncer prevention (60,78%). 64,71% of the women related vaginal discharge, when interrogated about the symptoms of vulvovaginal candidiasis. 19 (37,25%) of the 51 samples of vaginal secretion collected were positive for Candida, and the identifíed species were: 73,68% C. albicans, 15,79% C. guilliermondii and 10,53% C. glabrata. The phospholipase activity was positive in 57,89% of the 19 samples and the proteolytic activity was positive in 21,43% of C. albicans samples. No sample presented hialuronidase and condroitin-sulfatase activity. Five different enzymotypes were identifíed in the isolated samples. The resistance in vitro to amphotericin B was found in 5,26%, to fluconazole in 52,73% and to itraconazole in all of the isolated samples. The vulvovaginal candidiasis in HlV-infected women is frequent and recurrent, and it may indicate the beginning of the clinicai manifestations of the HIV infection, as well as resistance to the treatment. As the fflV infection reaches, mainly, women in reproductive age, the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the gynecological problems have an important role in these women's health attention.