Protective host defense mechanisms against vaginal Candida albicans infections are poorly understood. Although cell-mediated immunity (CMI) is the predominant host defense mechanism against most mucosal Candida infections, the role of CMI against vaginal candidiasis is uncertain, both in humans and in an experimental mouse model. The role of humoral immunity is equally unclear. While clinical o...

Women often seek medical care for vaginal complaints. Many times, the cause of the complaint is misdiagnosed by the woman and/or her provider. These vaginal complaints may be related to infections, which when misdiagnosed or mistreated, can lead to more severe problems. This article describes the three most common vaginal infections, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, and vulvovaginal candidi...

Vaginal concentrations of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) and possession of a polymorphism in codon 54 of the MBL gene were determined in 42 women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) and 43 control subjects. Reduced vaginal MBL levels and an increased occurrence of the polymorphism were present in women with RVVC.

BACKGROUND Maternal infections are associated with maternal and foetal adverse outcomes. Nutrient supplementation during pregnancy may reduce the occurrence of infections by improving maternal immunity. We aimed to investigate the impact of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement (SQ-LNS) on the occurrence of Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia during pregnancy and trichomoniasis, vaginal...

The disproportionate increase in oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) compared with systemic and vaginal candidiasis in female patients with AIDS has been a paradox for almost three decades. New data now show that severe OPC develops in Th17-deficient mice, but not Th1-deficient mice, implicating Th17-induced effector molecules in resistance to oral disease. These findings clarify and extend our cur...

The commensal fungus Candida albicans causes mucosal candidiasis in the rapidly expanding number of immunocompromised patients. Mucosal candidiasis includes oropharyngeal, esophageal, gastrointestinal, and vaginal infections. Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and antimycotic-refractory recurrent VVC is a frequent problem in healthy childbearing women. Both these mucosal infections can affect the q...

OBJECTIVE This study was undertaken to compare the frequencies of vaginal infections among human immunodeficiency virus-infected women with those among human immunodeficiency virus-seronegative women. STUDY DESIGN Human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive women attending a comprehensive care center for human immunodeficiency virus disease at the outpatient department of an inner-city hospital...