Anaerobes and Gardnerella vaginalis in non-specific vaginitis.

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Clinical evidence of bacterial vaginosis was present in 25 (35%) of 72 patients and correlated significantly with abnormal organic aids in vaginal secretions (24/25), with G. vaginalis on culture (17/25), with complaints of vaginal malodor (15/25) and with a relative scarcity of white blood cells in vaginal secretions. Anaerobic vaginal flora were presumptively identified by gas-liquid chromatographic analysis of organic acids found in vaginal secretions. The clinical criteria used to diagnose bacterial vaginosis included the presence of at least 3 of the 4 following characteristics: a vaginal pH .gtoreq. 4.5, vaginal secretions that were homogeneous, contained "clue" cells and released a "fishy" amine odor when mixed with 10% potassium hydroxide. Because 17 of the 25 patients with clinical bacterial vaginosis had chromatographic bacterial vaginosis and G. vaginalis, causative organisms were difficult to identify. None of the 6 patients who had G. vaginalis but not chromatographic bacterial vaginosis had clinical bacterial vaginosis, but 7 of the 10 women with chromatographic bacterial vaginosis but not G. vaginalis had clinical bacterial vaginosis (P < 0.02, .chi.2 with Yate''s correction). Anaerobes are apparently important in the production of clinical signs of bacterial vaginosis.