(A) study on the vaginal candidiasis among oral contraceptive(eugynon) users
Negroni reported in 1934 that the prevalence of Candida infestation during pregnancy tended to increase due to production of acid. Yaffee and Groute reported in 1965 that Candida infestation in oral pill users was difficult to cure without discontinuation of the pill. Since then many authors have studied the relationship between the oral pill and Candida infestation. Oral contraceptives in general are known to induce a physiological condition like pregnancy and are apt to induce
Candida infestation by increasing the acidity of the vagina by the activity of lactobacilli.
Samples were obtained from the 409 normal healthy women as controls and 200 vaginal swabs from oral pill (Eugynon) users as the study group from the Family Planning Clinic, Severance Hospital.
Yeast-like cells were isolated by culture of the specimen on Sabouraud's solid media and confirmed by microscopic examination.
Identification of Candida was done by determining the biochemical and immunological characteristics. The Candida carriers were analyzed for clinical and microbiological aspects.
The results of the study were as follows:
1. Distribution of the 138 identified Candidas: Candids albicans was the most prevalent(29%), with C. tropicalis, C. guilliermondii, C. parakrusei, C. Krusei, C. stellatoidie and C. pseudotropicalis in decreasing order of prevalence.
2. The prevalence of Candida infestation was 69% (138/200) in pill users while it was 10% (41/409) in controls.
3. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of Candida infestation by age and parity in both control and study groups.
4. The prevalence of Candida infestation seemed to be higher in the lower education group among the study subjects, while, paradoxically, higher prevalence was observed in the higher education group among the control subjects.
5. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of Candida infestation with time of menstrual cycle, vaginal pH or time interval from last coitus.
6. The Candida infestation rate was 80% in oral pill users for the first 6 months of pill use and gradually decreasing to 22.2% in the period 9 to 12 months then peaking at 100% in the period 19 to 21 months and finally decreasing to 50% after 37 months of oral pill use.