Risk factors for vulvovaginal candidiasis: A case-control study among university students

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (WC) is a common inflammatory condition caused by vaginal overgrowth of Candida albicans. Typical symptoms include pruritus and discharge. To test the association between several hypothesized risk factors and WC, we conducted a case-control study among university students, with both clinic and population controls. Symptomatic, culture-proven WC was associated with receptive oral sex twice or more in the previous 2 weeks [us not at all, odds ratio (OR) = 3.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.7-7.0]; oral contraceptive use (OR = 1.8; 95% CI = 0.95-3.6); spermicide use (OR = 3.3; 95% CI = 1.6-6.8); a prior diagnosis of VVC in the previous year (OR = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.5-5.9); and black (OR = 6.8; 95% CI = 3.1-15) and ''other'' race (OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.0-4.6). Estimates are from a cases us population controls logistic regression model including all five variables; results for cases us clinic controls were similar. After adjusting for these factors, many other hypothesized risk factors, such as antibiotic use, menstrual hygiene practices, and vaginal intercourse, had little association with VVC.