Determination of bacterial vaginosis frequency in patients with vaginal discharge complaints

Objectıve: The goal of this study is to determine the frequency of bacterial vaginosis in vaginal discharge specimen taken from patients who applied to our clinic with the complaint of vaginal discharge. Material and Method: One hundred and sixty three patients with vaginal discharge complaints were included in this study. Two vaginal swap specimens were taken from the vagina for microbiological examination from the patients in the lithotomy position. One example was for aerobic culture, other one that for Trichomonas PCR was ransferred to transport medium (HC2 DNA collectiondevicespecimen transport medium QIAGEN, Germany). The samples were stored at -20°C unti the time of the study. Two swab specimen swere taken for microscopic examination. One of the preparatio was examined by Gram stain;other one was kept as a backup. The frequency of bacterial vaginosis in the specimen taken was investigated. Results: In this study, moderate and a bundant polymorpho nuclear leukocytes (PNL) in 59 (36.2%) patients and Candida spp. in 27 (16.5%) patients were detected by direct microscobic examination and clue cell was detected in 8 patients (4.9%).Lactobacillus was not observed in 94 (57.7%) patients in the culture, but Gardnerella was detected in 11 (6.7%) patients and Candidaspp. in 39 (23.9%) patients in the culture. Trichomonas was detected in 9 (5.5%) patients by Trichomonas PCR. Although, according to the Amsel criteria 62 (38%) patients was diagnosed as bacterial vaginosis, according to the Nugent score only 42 (25.8%) patients was diagnosed as bacterial vaginosis. Fourty (24.5%) patients were found to be intermediate for according to the Nugent score. According to Amsel criteria, 62 patients (53.4%) were diagnosed with BV, only Candida infection was detected in 26 (22.4%) patients and onlyTrichomonas in 7 (6%) patients. Vaginal malodor symptom was found to be statistically significantly higher in patients diagnosed with BV, and BV was found more frequently in patients with a previous vaginitis history according to Amsel criteria. Although the result did not reach the statistically significant level, the frequency of preterm birth history was found to be higher in patients with bacterial vaginosis than patients with no pathogen detected. Conclusion: In this study, Nugent scoring for BV in the population diagnoses fewer people than Amsel criteria. Amsel criteria also diagnose BV in some of the patients in the group defined as intermediate in the Nugent scoring. Malodor was the only symptom that increased significantly in patient swith BV compared toother pathogens. Previous vaginitis was found more frequently in patients with bacterial vaginosis. This can be explained by the high risk of recurrence of BV. Class I and above obesity also increases the frequency of BV. Keywords: Amsel's criterion, Bacterial vaginosis, clue cell, Candida, Gardnerella, Nugent score, Trichomonas