Gardnerella vaginalis and anaerobic bacteria in genital disease.

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Abstract
In a study of G. vaginalis and anaerobic bacteria in nonspecific vaginitis (NSV) and other genital diseases, 89 patients attending a genital medicine clinic had vaginal samples examined for conventional pathogens and for quantitative analysis of G. vaginalis and aerobic and anaerobic bacterial flora. The overall incidence of G. vaginalis was 20%; G. vaginalis (mean concentration 7.0 log10/g of secretion) occurred predominantly in patients with other conditions (11.8%). G. vaginalis is therefore, a relatively common isolate in patients with vaginal discharge. The concentration of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria ranged from 4.9-11.0 log10/g of secretion with an anaerobe-to-aerobe ratio of 10:1. Anaerobic bacteria, particularly anaerobic gram-positive cocci (mean concentrations 7.7 log10/g), were present in patients with NSV and in association with G. vaginalis, but they also occurred in other clinical groups and with other pathogens, particularly Trichomonas vaginalis. Anaerobic bacteria may play an important role in the pathogenesis of vaginal infections.