Accuracy of Cervical/Vaginal Cytology in the Diagnosis of Bacterial Vaginosis

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Abstract
The cytological pattern of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in the Papanicolaou smear has a controversial history (coccoid vs. Gardnerella type) that has not allowed an efficient use of cervical/vaginal cytology in the diagnosis of this condition. Our study is an attempt to clarify this topic. To evaluate the accuracy of cervical/vaginal cytology in the diagnosis of BV. 1,896 separate examinations were performed on 1,471 women attending our sexually transmitted diseases center between 1990 and 1993. Amsel's composite clinical criteria were used as a gold standard. The Pap smear was prepared on two slides with the addition of a vaginal specimen. In the 166 cases of BV, sensitivity is 88.7%, and specificity is 98.8%. Positive predictive value is 89.8, and negative predictive value is 98.7. Kendall's correlation coefficient is 0.88 ( p < 0.001). Our findings support the validity of the vaginal Pap smear in diagnosing BV and suggest the screening of such a disease.