Abstract

Mycotic infections of the vagina are a vastly common type of infection. Candida, Monilia and Cryptococcus are the commonly associated pathogens with mycotic infections of the vagina. This study examined the fungal pathogens associated with vagina candidiasis in females who were of the ages 18-25 years. Vaginal swab samples of 116 students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State were screened of which 20 of these individuals had frequent visits to the Obafemi Awolowo University Health center for examinations of vaginal secretion, independent of the presence or absence of symptoms of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) between the months of July and September, 2023. The swab samples were transferred to Nutrient broth, and streaked on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) and incubated for five to seven days. Microscopy was then carried out to identify and distinguish the fungal hyphae. Results showed that 11.2% of the participants were infected with vagina candidiasis but were asymptomatic, while 9.6% were symptomatic and have the vagina infection. 31% of the sampled individuals showed symptoms without infection.