Case Reports on the Clinical Effects of Photodynamic Therapy for Recurrent Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (RVVC)

Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) is an inflammatory vaginal disease caused by Candida albicans infection. It commonly occurs in female groups such as those with low immunity, those who often use estrogen or antibiotics, and diabetic patients. 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) is a minimally invasive treatment method. However, there are few reports on the use of topical ALA-PDT to treat RVVC. Four patients with RVVC that had relapsed repeatedly within two years were given ALA-PDT treatment for one course (3 times). After three treatments, patients 1, 2, and 4 had negative results in vaginal secretion examinations during two follow-up visits. Patient 3 also turned negative in the subsequent follow-up. ALA-PDT is a potential treatment option for RVVC.