Majid Alizadeh - Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Anna Kolecka - Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Teun Boekhout - Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Hossein Zarrinfar - Allergy Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Mohamad Ali Ghanbari Nahzag - Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Parisa Badiee - Alborzi Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Ali Rezaei-Matehkolaei - Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Health Research Institute, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Abdolmajid Fata - Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Research Center for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Somayeh Dolatabadi - Faculty of Engineering, Sabzevar University of New Technologies, Sabzevar, Iran
Mohammad Javad Najafzadeh - Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Background and Purpose Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common problem in women. The purpose of this study was to identify of Candida species isolated from vulvovaginitis woman suffering vulvovaginitis refered to Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran, by use of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.  Materials and Methods The ۶۵ clinical samples isolated from Vulvovaginitis women were collected in Ghaem Hospital. All specimens were identified using phenotypic techniques such as microscopy and culture on Sabouraud dextrose agar and corn meal agar medium,Then, All isolates were detected and were processed for MALDI TOF MS identification. Results  Of the ۶۵ isolates analyzed, ۶۱ (۹۳.۸%) were recognised by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and for four isolates (۶.۱%) only not relabile identifications were achieved. In this study, the most frequently isolated species were Candida albicans (۵۸.۵%), followed by Candida tropicalis (۱۶.۹%), Candida glabrata (۷.۷%), Candida parapsilosis (۷.۷%) and Candida guillermondii (۳.۱%).  Conclusion presented results demonstrate that the MALDI TOF mass spectrometry is a fast and reliable technique, and has the potential to replace conventional phenotypic identification of Candida species and other yeast strains routinely isolated in clinical microbiology laboratories.

MALDI-TOF MS, Candidiasis, Vulvovaginitis, Identification