{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T15:08:34Z","timestamp":1791644914382,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,7,22]],"date-time":"2020-07-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1595376000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JoF"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis (RVVC) represents a major health problem that significantly affects a patient\u2019s quality of life (QoL). This infection presents with a plethora of clinical manifestation, and this is the first study that carries out a cluster analysis of these signs and symptoms (SS). The goals are to evaluate the distribution of species causing RVVC, their in-vitro susceptibility to antifungals, and the patient\u2019s QoL. Additionally, the clinical characteristics are analyzed using cluster analysis. Prospective analysis of data was performed for women diagnosed with RVVC in the period from January 2016 to December 2019 based on the analysis of data from a single-center\u2019s records. The standard mycological methods and antifungal susceptibility testing were done. Clinical characteristics and QoL were examined by appropriate questions. The cluster analysis was used to identify clusters of SS. A total of 320 women were diagnosed. The dominant species was Candida (C.) albicans. Non-albicans Candida (NAC) yeast was found in 24.4%, and the most common was C. glabrata. Interestingly, Saccharomyces (S.) cerevisiae was detected in 2%. All of the isolated species, except C. parapsilosis and C. kefyr, demonstrated reduced susceptibility to antifungals. We confirmed the emergence of the NAC species and S. cerevisiae with reduced susceptibility to antifungals. Cluster analysis represented by a dendrogram revealed three SS clusters: irritation, uncommon, and discharge, but further studies are needed to examine the relationship between clusters, Candida strains, and outcomes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jof6030113","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,7,22]],"date-time":"2020-07-22T03:23:16Z","timestamp":1595388196000},"page":"113","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":19,"title":["Recurrent Vulvovaginal Candidosis and Cluster Analysis of Clinical Signs and Symptoms: A Laboratory-Based Investigation"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"6","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2689-8088","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Aleksandra","family":"Ignjatovi\u0107","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Statistics and Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"},{"name":"Public Health Institute Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8132-3300","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Valentina","family":"Arsi\u0107-Arsenijevi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Milan","family":"Golubovi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"},{"name":"Clinic of Pediatrics, Clinical Center Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sa\u0161a","family":"\u0110eni\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"},{"name":"Center for Radiology, Clinical Center Nis, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stefan","family":"Mom\u010dilovi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"},{"name":"Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Clinic, Clinical Center Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aleksandra","family":"Trajkovi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marina","family":"Ran\u0111elovi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Public Health Institute Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"},{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vojislav","family":"\u0106iri\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3377-9247","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Suzana","family":"Ota\u0161evi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Public Health Institute Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"},{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,7,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1961","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(07)60917-9","article-title":"Vulvovaginal candidosis","volume":"369","author":"Sobel","year":"2007","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bitew, A., and Abebaw, Y. 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