PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Reed, Barbara D.
AU  - Pierson, Carl L.
TI  - Evaluation Of A Latex Agglutination Test For The Identification Of <em>Candida</em> Species In Vaginal Discharge
AID  - 10.3122/jabfm.5.4.375
DP  - 1992 Jul 01
TA  - The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Practice
PG  - 375--380
VI  - 5
IP  - 4
4099  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/5/4/375.short
4100  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/5/4/375.full
SO  - J Am Board Fam Med1992 Jul 01; 5
AB  - Background: The diagnosis of Candida vulvovaginitis using historical symptoms, pelvic examination findings, and results of traditional in-office laboratory tests is often inaccurate. Although Candida cultures can verify the diagnosis, they are not routinely used. Methods: We prospectively compared the accuracy of a commercially available, in-office, rapid, latex agglutination test (CandidaSure ™) for the identification of Candida species with results from Candida culture. Results: The sensitivity of the latex agglutination test was 66 percent and the specificity was 63 percent when compared with Candida culture results in patients with vaginal symptoms. When compared with a microscopic evaluation using potassium hydroxide (KOH), the CandidaSure ™ test had greater sensitivity but a lower specificity. In 74 percent of cases with a positive KOH preparation, yeast forms were present on culture, and little was gained by adding the CandidaSure ™ test in this situation. The addition of the CandidaSure ™ test in those cases with a negative KOH preparation resulted in increased sensitivity but also increased the number of false-positive diagnoses. Conclusions: The CandidaSure ™ test has greater sensitivity than the KOH preparation, but it is less predictive of a positive culture. Because of this limitation, Candida should be documented by culture for any patient who has recurrent or persistent disease and a negative KOH slide.