A STUDY OF PREVALENCE OF BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS IN SEXUALLY ACTIVE FEMALES- A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, GAYA

Abstract

Supriya Krishna, Bijay Krishna Prasad, Chandan Kumar Poddar, Sandhya Prasad, Rohit Goel, Maheshwar Narayan Singh

BACKGROUND Vaginal discharge is very common problem among females. Alteration in balance of normal vaginal organisms can cause the overgrowth of the bacteria that creates vaginal discharge. It is common among sexually active women yet there still remain gaps in our knowledge of this infectious disorder. Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) also called no-specific vaginitis develops when the normally predominant peroxide producing lactobacillus species in the vagina are replaced by mixed predominantly anaerobic flora consisting of Gardnerella vaginalis, Mycoplasma hominis, Mobiluncus species, Bacteroides species, Prevotela species, Peptostreptococcus species, Fusobacterium species and Porphyromonas species. The present study was conducted to know the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in sexually active females coming with the chief complaint of vaginal discharge to Obstetrics and Gynaecological OPD Bihar. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 200 otherwise healthy women of reproductive age group with the complaint of excessive vaginal discharge were included in the study. We exclude the patients who are married, women with known skin disease and post-menopausal. Normal saline wet-mount slide preparations were made for detection of motile trichomonads. Gram stained smear were prepared and scored as per classification developed by Nugent. The presence of pseudohyphae and/or budding yeast cells was considered diagnostic of candidal infection. RESULTS The median age of the study population was 28 years. Most common cause was bacterial vaginosis (positive= 18.5 %; intermediate score= 19.5 %), followed by candidiasis (13.5%) and trichomoniasis (0.5%). No etiological diagnosis for vaginal discharge could be established in approximately half of the women. Only one woman was HIV positive; one was reactive by VDRL and TPHA tests. CONCLUSION In addition, the laboratory services network needs to be strengthened to ensure accurate and standardized availability of diagnostic services. The study showed higher prevalence of Bacterial Vaginosis. There was significant correlation between vaginal pH, IUCD user, history of STD, RTI, VDRL and HIV positive patients.

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