AGE AND MARITAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF GENITOURINARY CANDIDIASIS AMONG SYMPTOMATIC WOMEN IN NIGERIA

Candida-positive genital specimens (n=585) examined by direct mount wet preparation, con- sisting of high vaginal swabs (83%), endocervical swabs (14%) and urine (2.9%) collected from symptomatic female genitourinary candidiasis patients attending hospitals and medical laboratories in seven Nigerian cities. Age and marital status of each patient were documented at time of specimen collection. Each specimen was then cultured on Sabouraud Glucose Agar at 37°C for 48 hours and examined under X40 power of a light micro- scope. Candida species were further identified by the CHROM Agar method. Results showed that the married accounted for 55.1% of cases while 44.9% were unmarried. Among the married the age group 26-30 years had the highest occurrence of 25.8% (significant at p=0.05). Fifteen-twenty years age group had 1.1% while 41 years plus were represented by 0.8%. The unmarried were represented by 10.3% in the age group 15-20 years. The married also had higher occurrences in all the seven cities though the differences were insignificant. Mar- ital factor seems to play a role in the distribution of genitourinary candidiasis in the most vulnerable age group.