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. 2017 Jan-Jun;38(1):69-75.
doi: 10.4103/0253-7184.203433.

Epidemiology and clinico-investigative study of organisms causing vaginal discharge

Swetha Venugopal  1 , Kannan Gopalan  1 , Asha Devi  2 , A Kavitha  3
Affiliations

Epidemiology and clinico-investigative study of organisms causing vaginal discharge

Swetha Venugopal et al. Indian J Sex Transm Dis AIDS. 2017 Jan-Jun.

Abstract

Background: Abnormal vaginal discharge is a common clinical problem in reproductive age group. It is the second most common problem after abnormal uterine bleeding. It is a neglected health problem, most commonly caused due to vulvovaginal candidiasis, trichomoniasis, and bacterial vaginosis (BV).

Objectives: The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of common organisms causing vaginal discharge and also to know the variety of clinical presentation.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in the Skin and STD Outpatient Department of Vinayaka Mission Kirupananda Variyar Medical College Hospital, Salem, who presented with abnormal vaginal discharge between September 2012 and September 2014. A total of 100 women in the reproductive age group who had symptoms of vaginitis were examined. Data were coded and analyzed.

Results: Out of the 100 patients examined, 77 (77%) cases were organism positive. Among the positive cases, BV (27%) was the most common microbiological cause of abnormal vaginal discharge, followed by trichomoniasis (25%), vaginal candidiasis (22%), combined infection (Candida and BV) (3%), and nonspecific cases (23%).

Conclusion: Out of 100 cases, few cases showed discordance between clinical and laboratory diagnosis. This discordance can be due to pitfalls in identifying the causative agent clinically or obscuring of the findings due to improper treatment received for other ailments. Thus, clinico-investigative correlation is more important than other clinical findings alone.

Keywords: Bacterial vaginosis; candidiasis; nonspecific vaginitis; trichomoniasis.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Homogeneous white discharge suggestive of bacterial vaginosis
Figure 2
Figure 2
Curdy white discharge suggestive of candidiasis
Figure 3
Figure 3
Frothy white discharge suggestive of Trichomonas vaginalis
Figure 4
Figure 4
Photomicrograph showing clue cells
Figure 5
Figure 5
Photomicrograph of potassium hydroxide mount showing pseudohyphae and budding yeast cells
Figure 6
Figure 6
Sabouraud's dextrose agar medium showing creamy white colonies suggestive of Candida
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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