Abstract

MEDINA, Ruth; RECHKEMMER, Adolfo  and  GARCIA-HJARLES, Marco. Prevalence of vaginitis and bacterial vaginosis in patient with abnormal vaginal discharge, at the Hospital Arzobispo Loayza, Lima-Peru. Rev Med Hered [online]. 1999, vol.10, n.4, pp.144-150. ISSN 1018-130X.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of vaginitis and bacterial vaginosis in women with vaginal discharge and the relationship between clinical manifestations and laboratory. Material and methods: This was a cross-sectional study; a group of 370 women were enrolled between January and March, 1998. The patients were attended at the Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza in Lima; they answered a specifically designed questionnaire and a vaginal secretion sampling was taken. Cotton swaps containing such secretions were employed to measure pH, estimate amina production (fishy odor) and perform direct microscopic with 10% potassium hydroxide and normal saline solution, which allowed the recognition of "clue cells", Thichomonas vaginalis and yeasts. Results: The prevalence of vaginal infections was 42.2%, most frequent was bacterial vaginosis with a prevalence of 23.24%, vaginal candidiasis and vaginal trichomoniasis were present in 16.2% and 7.8% of the population, respectively. Clinical and laboratory features associated to bacterial vaginosis were: postcoital offensive odor, lack of vaginal inflammation, white homogeneous "fishy smelling" vaginal discharge. Clinical and laboratory features associated to vaginal candidiasis were: vulvar itching, burning, vulvar and vaginal erythema, negative amine test and thick, crude yellow discharge, as well as non prior pregnancy and sexual life less than two years. Clinical and laboratory features associated to vaginal trichomoniasis were: vaginal erythema, fetid yellow-green frothy homogeneous vaginal discharge and positive amine test. Conclusion: It is important the correct clinical diagnostic of vaginal infections with laboratory confirmation. ( Rev Med Hered 1999; 10:144-150 ).

Keywords : Bacterial vaginosis; candidiasis; trichomoniasis.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )