en Characterization of ERG11 Gene in Drug-Resistant Candida Albicans Isolated from Iranian Cases of Recurrent Vulvovaginal Candidiasis تخصصي Special پژوهشي orginal article <strong><em>Background & Aims</em></strong>: &nbsp;<em>Candida albicans</em> is the most common fungal pathogen of human infections. <em>C. albicans</em> is responsible for significant mucosal infections such as vulvovaginitis in women. Azoles inhibit the cytochrome P₄₅₀ 14<em>&alpha;</em>-lanosterol demethylase, as a part of the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway is encoded by the <em>ERG11</em> gene. Some mutations in <em>ERG 11</em> could cause resistance to azole drugs.&nbsp; Detection of the mutations of the gene in the present study helped us to explain drug resistances in some vaginal isolates of <em>C. albicans</em> and other Candida species.<br> <strong><em>Materials & Methods:</em></strong> A multicenter, experimental study was conducted at Cellular and Molecular Research Center and Kowsar Gynecology Center affiliated to UMSU from October 2016 to July 2017. Women with symptomatic vaginitis (20-45 years old) were asked to take part in the study. 192 women allowed vaginal swabs to be obtained. For the identifications, culture on SGA4% and CHROM agar Candida were conducted followed by PCR-RFLP. A disc diffusion method was performed based on the standard guideline of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) to determine level of susceptibility against fluconazole and clotrimazole (most current use for the treatment of VVC). DNA extraction and PCR amplification of the <em>ERG11</em> gene were performed.<br> <strong><em>Results</em></strong><strong>:</strong> As we showed in the Table (1), 69.1% of all <em>Candida</em> isolates carried the <em>ERG11 </em>gene. It was detected in 49(68.1%), 5 (55.6%), and 7(77.8%) cases of <em>C. albicans, C. krusei,</em> and <em>C. glabrata,</em> respectively.&nbsp; Among the <em>C. albicans</em> isolates resistant to Clotrimazole, 8(53.3%) had <em>ERG11</em> gene while 7(46.7%) did not. Among all the <em>C. glabrata</em> isolates resistant to Clotrimazole, 40% carried <em>ERG11</em> while 60% did not show the gene. Also, ERG11 gene was detected in 50% of the isolated <em>C. glabrata</em>. <em>ERG11</em> gene was observed in 53.3% of <em>C.krusei</em> isolates resistant to Clotrimazole and 52% of those of resistant to Fluconazole.<br> <strong><em>Conclusion</em></strong><strong>:</strong> As an approximate finding, Azole resistance in the present study could be attributed to mutations in ERG11 gene ERG11 Gene, Candida Albicans, Vulvovaginal Candidiasis 153 159 http://ijrabms.umsu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-101-19&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Kambiz Diba diba.k@umsu.ac.ir 1003194753284600867 1003194753284600867 Yes Associate Professor in Medical Mycology, Molecular and Cellular Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran Shahram Khademvatan khademvatan@yahoo.com 1003194753284600868 1003194753284600868 No Professor in Medical Parasitology, Molecular and Cellular Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran Kowsar Jaafari monavvar03@gmail.com 1003194753284600869 1003194753284600869 No Medical Mycologist, Esfahan University of Medical Sciences Soudabe Abharian monavvar03@gmail.com 1003194753284600870 1003194753284600870 No Medical Microbiologist, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran