| Summary: | Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a prevalent condition affecting women worldwide. This study aimed to develop a rapid qPCR assay for the accurate identification of VVC etiological agents and reduced azole susceptibility. One hundred and twenty nine vaginal samples from an outpatient clinic (Bilbao, Spain) were analyzed using culture-based methods and a multiplex qPCR targeting fungal species, which identified <i>Candida albicans</i> as the predominant species (94.2%). Antifungal susceptibility tests revealed reduced azole susceptibility in three (3.48%) isolates. Molecular analysis identified several mutations in genes associated with azole resistance as well as novel mutations in <i>TAC1</i> and <i>MRR1</i> genes. In conclusion, we developed a rapid multiplex qPCR assay that detects <i>C. albicans</i> in vulvovaginal specimens and reported new mutations in resistance-related genes that could contribute to azole resistance.
|
|---|