Disease Topics:Bacterial Vaginosis

Bacterial Vaginosis - Topic Overview

Bacterial vaginosis is a mild infection of thevaginacamera.gif caused by bacteria. Normally, there are a lot of "good" bacteria and some "bad" bacteria in the vagina. The good types help control the growth of the bad types. In women with bacterial vaginosis, the balance is upset. There are not enough good bacteria and too many bad bacteria.

Bacterial vaginosis is usually a mild problem that may go away on its own in a few days. But it can lead to more serious problems. So it's a good idea to see your doctor and get treatment.

Experts are not sure what causes the bacteria in the vagina to get out of balance. But certain things make it more likely to happen. Your risk of getting bacterial vaginosis is higher if you:

  • Have more than one sex partner or have a new sex partner.
  • Douche.

You may be able to avoid bacterial vaginosis if you limit your number of sex partners and don't douche or smoke.

Bacterial vaginosis is more common in women who are sexually active. But it can occur if you are not sexually active as well.

The most common symptom is a smelly vaginal discharge. It may look grayish white or yellow. A sign of bacterial vaginosis can be a "fishy" smell, which may be worse after sex. About half of women who have bacterial vaginosis do not notice any symptoms.

Many things can cause abnormal vaginal discharge, including somesexually transmitted infections (STIs). See your doctor so you can be tested and get the right treatment.

Doctors diagnose bacterial vaginosis by asking about the symptoms, doing a pelvic exam, and taking a sample of the vaginal discharge. The sample can be tested to find out if you have bacterial vaginosis.

Bacterial vaginosis usually does not cause other health problems. But in some cases it can lead to serious problems.

  • If you have it when you are pregnant, it increases the risk ofmiscarriage, early (preterm) delivery, and uterine infection afterpregnancy.
  • If you have it when you have a pelvic procedure such as a cesarean section, an abortion, or a hysterectomy, you are more likely to get a pelvic infection.
  • If you have it and you are exposed to a sexually transmitted infection (including HIV), you are more likely to catch the infection.
  • Doctors usually prescribe an antibiotic to treat bacterial vaginosis. They come as pills you swallow or as a cream or capsules (called ovules) that you put in your vagina. If you are pregnant, you will need to take pills.

  • Bacterial vaginosis usually clears up in 2 or 3 days with antibiotics, but treatment goes on for 7 days. Do not stop using your medicine just because your symptoms are better. Be sure to take the full course ofantibiotics.

    Antibiotics usually work well and have few side effects. But taking them can lead to a vaginal yeast infection. A yeast infection can causeitching, redness, and a lumpy, white discharge. If you have these symptoms, talk to your doctor about what to do.

    Bacterial vaginosis is an infection of the vagina caused by bacteria. Normally, there are a lot of "good" bacteria and some "bad" bacteria in the vagina. The good types help control the growth of the bad types. With bacterial vaginosis, the balance is upset. There are not enough good bacteria and too many bad bacteria. This can cause a discharge from the vagina that may smell fishy.

  • Bacterial Vaginosis - Cause

    Bacterial vaginosis is caused by an imbalance of the organisms (flora) that naturally exist in the vaginacamera.gif. Normally, about 95% of vaginal flora are lactobacillus bacteria. (These types are unique to humans, different from the lactobacillus in yogurt.) These lactobacilli help keep the vaginal pH level low and prevent overgrowth of other types of organisms. Women with bacterial vaginosis have fewer lactobacillus organisms than normal and more of other types of bacteria. Experts do not yet understand what causes this imbalance.

    Although the specific cause isn't known, a number of health and lifestyle factors have been linked to bacterial vaginosis. For more information, see What Increases Your Risk.

  • Bacterial Vaginosis - Symptoms

    Many women with bacterial vaginosis do not have any symptoms. Bacterial vaginosis does not typically cause itching. But it does cause:

    • An excessive grayish white vaginal discharge, unlike normal vaginal discharge. Some women describe the discharge as "yellow."
    • A bothersome "fishy" odor, which is usually worse after sex (intercourse).

    Other conditions with similar symptoms include some sexually transmitted infections (especially trichomoniasischlamydia, andgonorrhea) and vaginal yeast infection.

  • Bacterial Vaginosis - What Increases Your Risk

    Things that increase your risk of gettingbacterial vaginosis include:

    Although bacterial vaginosis can be triggered by or get worse from sexual activity, it does not appear to be an infection that is passed from man to woman. So experts do not consider bacterial vaginosis to be a male-female sexually transmitted infection. Bacterial vaginosis may be passed from woman to woman during sexual contact.

  • Image result for bacterial vaginosis

Bacterial Vaginosis - Exams and Tests

Your doctor may test you for bacterial vaginosis if you:

  • Have symptoms.
  • Are going to have a hysterectomy or surgical abortion. (Bacterial vaginosis increases infection risk afterwards.)
  • Are pregnant and have symptoms.

Your doctor can diagnose bacterial vaginosis based on your history of symptoms, a vaginal exam, and a sample of the vaginal discharge.Laboratory tests to detect signs of bacterial vaginosis may include:

  • Wet mount. A sample of vaginal discharge is mixed with a salt (normal saline) solution after placing it on a microscope slide. The prepared slide is examined to identify the bacteria present, to look for white blood cells that point to an infection, and to look for unusual cells called clue cells. The presence of clue cells is one sign f bacterial vaginosis.
  • Whiff test. Several drops of a potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution are added to a sample of vaginal discharge to find out whether a strong fishy odor is produced. A fishy odor on the whiff test suggests bacterial vaginosis.
  • Vaginal pH. The normal vaginal pH is 3.8 to 4.5. Bacterial vaginosis usually causes the vaginal pH to rise above 4.5.
  • Oligonucleotide probes. This test detects the genetic material (DNA) of bacterial vaginosis bacteria. Oligonucleotide probe testing is very accurate but is not routinely available in most labs.

The presence of clue cells, an increased vaginal pH, and a positive whiff test are enough evidence to treat for bacterial vaginosis.

Bacterial vaginosis may be found during a routine pelvic exam.

Bacterial Vaginosis - Exams and Tests

Your doctor may test you for bacterial vaginosis if you:

  • Have symptoms.
  • Are going to have a hysterectomy or surgical abortion. (Bacterial vaginosis increases infection risk afterwards.)
  • Are pregnant and have symptoms.

Your doctor can diagnose bacterial vaginosis based on your history of symptoms, a vaginal exam, and a sample of the vaginal discharge.Laboratory tests to detect signs of bacterial vaginosis may include:

  • Wet mount. A sample of vaginal discharge is mixed with a salt (normal saline) solution after placing it on a microscope slide. The prepared slide is examined to identify the bacteria present, to look for white blood cells that point to an infection, and to look for unusual cells called clue cells. The presence of clue cells is one sign f bacterial vaginosis.
  • Whiff test. Several drops of a potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution are added to a sample of vaginal discharge to find out whether a strong fishy odor is produced. A fishy odor on the whiff test suggests bacterial vaginosis.
  • Vaginal pH. The normal vaginal pH is 3.8 to 4.5. Bacterial vaginosis usually causes the vaginal pH to rise above 4.5.
  • Oligonucleotide probes. This test detects the genetic material (DNA) of bacterial vaginosis bacteria. Oligonucleotide probe testing is very accurate but is not routinely available in most labs.

The presence of clue cells, an increased vaginal pH, and a positive whiff test are enough evidence to treat for bacterial vaginosis.

Bacterial vaginosis may be found during a routine pelvic exam.

Bacterial Vaginosis - Exams and Tests

Your doctor may test you for bacterial vaginosis if you:

  • Have symptoms.
  • Are going to have a hysterectomy or surgical abortion. (Bacterial vaginosis increases infection risk afterwards.)
  • Are pregnant and have symptoms.

Your doctor can diagnose bacterial vaginosis based on your history of symptoms, a vaginal exam, and a sample of the vaginal discharge.Laboratory tests to detect signs of bacterial vaginosis may include:

  • Wet mount. A sample of vaginal discharge is mixed with a salt (normal saline) solution after placing it on a microscope slide. The prepared slide is examined to identify the bacteria present, to look for white blood cells that point to an infection, and to look for unusual cells called clue cells. The presence of clue cells is one sign f bacterial vaginosis.
  • Whiff test. Several drops of a potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution are added to a sample of vaginal discharge to find out whether a strong fishy odor is produced. A fishy odor on the whiff test suggests bacterial vaginosis.
  • Vaginal pH. The normal vaginal pH is 3.8 to 4.5. Bacterial vaginosis usually causes the vaginal pH to rise above 4.5.
  • Oligonucleotide probes. This test detects the genetic material (DNA) of bacterial vaginosis bacteria. Oligonucleotide probe testing is very accurate but is not routinely available in most labs.

The presence of clue cells, an increased vaginal pH, and a positive whiff test are enough evidence to treat for bacterial vaginosis.

Bacterial vaginosis may be found during a routine pelvic exam.

Bacterial Vaginosis - Treatment Overview

Treatment for bacterial vaginosis includesantibiotic medicine (oral or vaginal).Antibiotics kill the problem bacteria causing bacterial vaginosis symptoms. But symptoms can come back after antibiotic treatment.

For some women, bacterial vaginosis goes away without treatment. But when it does not go away even with treatment, bacterial vaginosis is frustrating and troublesome. Bacterial vaginosis makes the reproductive tract vulnerable to infection or inflammation. So your doctor will test and treat you withantibiotics for bacterial vaginosis if you are:

  • Having persistent symptoms.
  • Pregnant and have symptoms.
  • Planning to have a hysterectomy or surgical abortion. Treating bacterial vaginosis with antibiotics beforehand may lower your risk of getting a serious infection afterward.

Talk to your doctor about whether testing is right for you.

What to think about

If your doctor finds other problems during the exam, such as a possible sexually transmitted infection (STI), appropriate treatment will be recommended.

Bacterial Vaginosis - Prevention

To help prevent bacterial vaginosis:

Bacterial vaginosis may be passed between women during sexual contact. If you have a female sex partner, you may benefit from using protection and carefully washing shared sex toys.

Bacterial vaginosis is generally not considered a sexually transmitted infection (STI). But if you are exposed to an STI while you have bacterial vaginosis, you are more likely to get that infection.

It is always important to practice safer sex to prevent sexually transmitted infections, whether or not you have bacterial vaginosis. Preventing an STI is easier than treating an infection after it occurs.

Bacterial Vaginosis - Prevention

To help prevent bacterial vaginosis:

Bacterial vaginosis may be passed between women during sexual contact. If you have a female sex partner, you may benefit from using protection and carefully washing shared sex toys.

Bacterial vaginosis is generally not considered a sexually transmitted infection (STI). But if you are exposed to an STI while you have bacterial vaginosis, you are more likely to get that infection.

It is always important to practice safer sex to prevent sexually transmitted infections, whether or not you have bacterial vaginosis. Preventing an STI is easier than treating an infection after it occur

Bacterial Vaginosis - Home Treatment

Some women have used Lactobacillusacidophilus in yogurt or supplements to treatbacterial vaginosis. But dairy lactobacillus does not work for bacterial vaginosis. This is because dairy lactobacillus is not the kind of bacteria that normally live in the vagina.

More research is needed to find out if the types of lactobacillus normally found in a healthy vagina may work to treat bacterial vaginosis.

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