Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35971143›Full record

ArticleAntimicrobial resistance and infection control2022

Importance of Candida infection and fluconazole resistance in women with vaginal discharge syndrome in Namibia.

Cara M Dunaiski, Marleen M Kock, Hyunsul Jung, Remco P H Peters

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Antimicrobial resistance and infection control, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 22% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. ACS omega · 2025
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Use of probiotic lactobacilli in the treatment of vaginal infections:Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2023
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Cara M DunaiskiDepartment of Health and Applied Sciences, Namibia University of Sciences and Technology, Windhoek, Namibia.
Marleen M KockDepartment of Medical Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Prinshof Campus, Pathology Building, Room 3-11, Pretoria, South Africa.
Hyunsul JungDepartment of Medical Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Prinshof Campus, Pathology Building, Room 3-11, Pretoria, South Africa.
Remco P H PetersDepartment of Medical Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Prinshof Campus, Pathology Building, Room 3-11, Pretoria, South Africa. remco.peters@up.ac.za.
University of Pretoria · ZANamibia University of Science and Technology · NA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundVaginal discharge syndrome (VDS) is a common condition. Clinical management targets sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and bacterial vaginosis (BV); there is limited focus on Candida infection as cause of VDS. Lack of Candida treatment coverage and, if present, antifungal resistance may result in VDS treatment failure. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Candida infection, antifungal resistance, and coinfections in Namibian women with VDS.

methodsA cross-sectional study was performed using 253 vaginal swabs from women with VDS in Namibia. Demographic data was collected, and phenotypic and molecular detection of Candida species was performed followed by fluconazole susceptibility testing of Candida isolates. BV was diagnosed using Nugent score microscopy; molecular detection of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis was performed.

resultsCandida species was detected in 110/253 women (43%). Ninety women (36%) had Candida albicans and 24 (9.5%) had non-albicans Candida species. The non-albicans species detected were 19 (17%) Candida glabrata, 4.0 (3.5%) Candida krusei, and 1.0 (0.9%) Candida parapsilosis. Candida albicans were more frequently isolated in younger (p = 0.004) and pregnant women (p = 0.04) compared to non-albicans Candida species. Almost all (98%) Candida albicans isolates were susceptible to fluconazole while all non-albicans Candida species were fluconazole resistant. STIs were diagnosed in 92 women (36%): 30 (12%) with C. trachomatis, 11 (4.3%) N. gonorrhoeae, and 70 (28%) T. vaginalis; 98 (39%) women had BV. Candida infection alone was diagnosed in 30 women (12%), combined with STIs in 42 women (17%) and was concurrent with BV in 38 women (15%). Candida infection was more often detected in swabs from women without C. trachomatis detected (6.4% vs. 16%; OR 0.30; 95% CI 0.10-0.77, p = 0.006).

conclusionsThe high prevalence of Candida infection, especially those due to non-albicans Candida species that are resistant to fluconazole, is a great concern in our setting and may lead to poor treatment outcomes. Access to microbiological testing for Candida species in the context of syndromic management is warranted.

Indexed as

CandidiasisSexually Transmitted DiseasesVaginal DischargeAntifungal AgentsCandidaCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleFluconazoleHumansMicrobial Sensitivity TestsNamibiaNeisseria gonorrhoeaePregnancyAntifungal AgentsFluconazoleAntifungal susceptibility testingCandida albicansNamibiaNon-albicans Candida speciesSexually transmitted infectionsSub-Saharan AfricaVaginal discharge syndrome

Identifiers

PMID35971143
PMCPMC9377096
OpenAlexW4291552246

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.