Abstract
Four hundred nineteen vaginal swabs were obtained from childbearing healthy women seeking medication for vaginal itching, odor and discharges in outpatient gynecology clinic at Yamamah Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 2396 of the swabs produced Candida on culturing. The distributions of the species were: for Candida albicans, 14%, C. glabrata, 5%. C. krusie, 3%, and 196, for each of C. famata, C. parapsilosis, C. kefyr and C. tropicalis. The susceptibilities of C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. krusie against amphotericin B, itraconazole, flucoconazole and Ketoconazole were tested using E-test. C. albicans 4% were resistance to amphotericin B and 20% with reduced susceptibilities. C. glabrata showed 100% resistance to itraconazole and reduced susceptibilities to flucoconazole and Ketoconazole with only 80% susceptible to amphotericine B. According to the questionnaires, enduring infection may be a consequence of oral contraceptive and regular use of antifungal drugs.