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Objective: To determine whether zinc deficiency in serum or vulvovaginal secretion is a risk factor for recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis., Design: Prospective and controlled study., Setting: Department of Dermatology, University of Vienna., Subjects: 21 women who had experienced at least three documented episodes of acute vulvovaginal candidiasis within the previous 12 months. Fifteen women without anamnesis of vulvovaginal candidiasis as a control group., Interventions: Blood samples were drawn for measurement of plasma zinc levels. Lavage of the vagina and ectocervix was performed with sterile saline solution for measurement of cervicovaginal zinc levels., Main Outcome Measures: Zinc levels of serum and cervicovaginal secretions were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry., Results: We found no significant difference in the mean zinc concentration of plasma and cervicovaginal secretions between the recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis and the control group. (p value for serum = 0.71, p value for secretion = 0.80). Zinc levels of plasma and cervicovaginal secretions showed no correlation (patient group: r = -0.05, control group: r = -0.07)., Conclusion: It is well known that zinc not only exerts a major impact on different immune functions, but also participates in growth and morphogenesis of Candida albicans. Our results could not confirm the previous hypothesis that zinc deficiency of serum is a risk factor in recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. It is possible that the local zinc level of cervicovaginal secretions essentially influences antifungal activity of third generation azole antimycotics.

Objective: To evaluate whether quantitative or qualitative IgA deficiencies in cervicovaginal secretions can be identified in patients with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis., Design: Prospective and controlled study., Setting: Department of Dermatology, University of Vienna., Subjects: 30 patients with symptomatic and recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis at the time of their presentation. 30 healthy women as a control group., Intervention: Blood samples were drawn for measurement of serum IgA levels. Smears of the cervix and vagina were taken for direct microscopy and microbiological culture. Lavage of the vagina and ectocervix was performed with sterile saline solution for measurement of cervicovaginal IgA levels., Main Outcome Measures: IgA levels of serum and cervicovaginal secretion evaluated by Single Radial Immunodiffusion. IgA labelling was demonstrated on fungal elements in vaginal smears and subcultured blastospores after incubation with vaginal secretions by immunohistochemistry., Results: We could not find any significant difference of IgA levels in serum and cervicovaginal secretions between the symptomatic group and healthy controls (p value for serum = 0.5796, p value for secretion = 0.2381). In vaginal smears yeasts revealed IgA coating on their surfaces, whereas three of the 61 subcultures were negative. Negative subcultures were assigned to three patients with recurrent candidiasis. No correlation was found between IgA levels of cervicovaginal secretions and staining intensity of subcultured blastospores after incubation with vaginal secretions (r = -0.0578). IgA levels of serum and vaginal secretion showed no correlation (r = -0.00012)., Conclusion: Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis cannot be attributed to IgA deficiency. In some cases an IgA coating defect of yeasts might be involved. In addition inactivation of the IgA molecule by candida proteases might be of pathogenetic importance.