Evaluation of immunochromatographic assay for detection of Candida albicans

Abstract

The major etiologic agents of vulvovaginitis are bacteria, fungi, and trichomonas. About 80 to 90 % of fungal vulvovaginitisis caused by Candida albicans, which can be examined by wet smear preparation, Gram stain and yeast culture. Culture method is regarded as a gold standard method but it requiresskill, expensive equipment, and takes several days to obtain a result.  The aim of this study is to evaluate a rapid vaginal yeast assay by C. albicans rapid test strip for detection of C. albicans in vaginal discharge. One hundred women with itching and vulvovaginitis attended at Obstetrics Gynecologic clinic in Nan Hospital during January to June 2010, were investigated prospectively. Two vaginal swabs were collected from each participant and tested by the rapid test strip, saline wet smear microscopic examination, Gram-stained smear and yeast culture. The rapid test strip showed 98.7 % sensitivity, 79.2 % specificity, 93.8 % positive predictive value and 95.0 % negative predictive value as compared to the gold standard yeast culture. The Gram stain and wet mount methods showed 86.8 % and 85.5 % sensitivity, 83.3% and 87.5% specificity, 94.3% and 95.6% positive predictive value and 66.7 % and 65.6% negative predictive value, respectively. In conclusion, the C. albicans rapid test strip could provide a rapid result and is easy to perform with high sensitivity and specificity comparable to routine saline wet smear microscopic examination and Gram-stained smear commonly used for the diagnosis of  C. albicans vulvovaginitis.