TEST CATALOG ORDERING & RESULTS SPECIMEN HANDLING CUSTOMER SERVICE EDUCATION & INSIGHTS
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Test ID: FVAG    
Fungal Culture, Vaginal

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Useful For Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Monitoring therapy for vulvovaginitis

 

Managing chronic recurring disease

 

Determining the etiology of infectious vaginitis when other tests have been uninformative

Testing Algorithm Delineates situations when tests are added to the initial order. This includes reflex and additional tests.

When this test is ordered, the reflex tests may be performed and charged.

Clinical Information Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test

Candidal vulvovaginitis is believed to be the most frequent or second most frequent vaginal infection. Depending on the geographical area, its prevalence in women is estimated to be in the range of 5% to 20%. Besides Candida albicans, C glabrata, and C tropicalis are the most frequently isolated Candida species both from vulvo-vaginitis patients and from healthy carriers.

Reference Values Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.

Negative

 

If positive, yeast will be identified.

Interpretation Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results

Meaningful diagnosis of vaginal candidiasis requires that 1) yeast are demonstrable in the affected area and 2) clinical symptoms and signs are consistent with the disease. Since in up to 20% of healthy women, yeast cells are part of the normal vaginal flora, the presence of Candida on culture may be meaningless or misleading unless other clinical factors are considered.

Clinical Reference Recommendations for in-depth reading of a clinical nature

1. McCormack WM: Vulvovaginitis and cervicitis. In Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. Sixth edition. Edited by GL Mandell, JE Bennett, R Dolin. Philadelphia, Elsevier Inc, 2005, pp 1357-1372

2. Sutton DA: Specimen collection, transport, and processing: mycology. In Manual of Clinical Microbiology. Ninth edition. Edited by PR Murray, EJ Baron, et al: Washington, DC, ASM Press, 2007, pp 1728-1736