Infecciones vaginales en un Centro de Salud Familiar de la Región Metropolitana, Chile / Vaginal infections in a Family Health Clinic in the Metropolitan Region, Chile

Background: Vaginal infections are a frequent cause for consultation, but their prevalence and etiology vary in different populations. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and etiologies of vaginal infection in women attending a family health center in the Metropolitan Region of Chile. Methods: The microbiological diagnosis was made by wet mount and Gram stain. Diagnosis of trichomoniasis was performed by wet mount, culture and polymerase chain reaction. Results: 101 women aged 15-54, not selected by signs or symptoms of vaginal infection, 46 of them pregnant were included. In 47 women (46.5%), vaginal infections were diagnosed. An association was observed between age and frequency of vaginal infection. The proportion of infections among pregnant and non-pregnant women was similar. The most frequent infections were bacterial vaginosis (16.8%), vulvovaginal candidiasis (11.9%) and co-infections (6.9%). We found 5.9% of intermediate microbiota cases, 3% of trichomoniasis and 2% of aerobic vaginitis. Symptoms of vaginal infection had poor agreement with microbiological findings. Otherwise physical signs had good agreement with the presence of infection, but low to moderate concordance with a specific etiology. Conclusions: We found a high prevalence of vaginal infections in the study population. It is necessary to improve the definitions and criteria of microbiological diagnosis of co-infections and intermediate microbiota, for them to be diagnosed in the clinical practice. More descriptive questionnaires are recommended to enhance the usefulness of clinical examination.

Introducción: Las infección vaginales constituyen un motivo frecuente de consulta, pero su prevalencia y etiología varían en distintas poblaciones. Objetivos: Determinar la prevalencia y tipos de infección vaginal en mujeres atendidas en un centro de salud familiar de la Región Metropolitana. Métodos: El diagnóstico microbiológico fue efectuado mediante examen microscópico al fresco y tinción de Gram y para tricomoniasis examen al fresco, cultivo y reacción de la polimerasa en cadena. Resultados: Se incluyeron 101 mujeres de 15-54 años, no seleccionadas por signos ó síntomas, 46 de ellas embarazadas. En 47 mujeres (46,5%) se diagnosticaron infecciones vaginales. Se observó asociación entre edad y frecuencia de infección vaginal. La proporción de infecciones entre gestantes y no gestantes fue similar. Las infecciones más frecuentes fueron vaginosis bacteriana (16,8%), candidiasis vulvo-vaginal (11,9%) y co-infecciones (6,9%). Se observó 5,9% casos de microbiota intermedia, 3% de tricomoniasis y 2% de vaginitis aeróbica. Los síntomas de infección vaginal tuvieron mala concordancia con los hallazgos microbiológicos. A su vez, los signos físicos tuvieron buena concordancia con la existencia de infección, pero escasa a moderada concordancia con una etiología específica. Conclusiones: Se encontró alta frecuencia de infecciones vaginales. Es necesario mejorar las definiciones y criterios de diagnóstico microbiológico de las co-infecciones y microbiota intermedia, para ser diagnosticadas en la práctica clínica. Se recomienda emplear cuestionarios más descriptivos para mejorar la utilidad del examen clínico.

Comparación de los criterios de Nugent y Spiegel para el diagnóstico de vaginosis bacteriana y análisis de los resultados discordantes por el método de Ison y Hay / Nugent and Spiegel criteria for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis. Analysis of discordant specimens by the Ison and Hay method

Background: Vaginal infection is the commonest cause of genital symptoms and has obstetric and gynecological implications. Aim: To compare the Nugent and Spiegel methods for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and to analyze discordant specimens using Ison and Hay (Ison/Hay) criteria. Material and Methods: After discardingcases with Candidiasis, deficientspecimens or those lacking bacteria, a total of348 Gram-stained smears vaginal specimens receivedfor the diagnosis of BV, were analyzed. Results: Vaginal microbiota was classified as normal in 203 and 237 samples (58 and 68 percent of samples), accordingto Nugent and Spiegel criteria, respectively One hundred andfive (30 percent) and 111 samples (32 percent), were classified as VB accordingto Nugent and Spiegel criteria, respectively. Both criteria were concordant in 308 samples (88.5 percent). The 40 (11.5 percent) discordant specimens were classified as intermedíate microflora by the Nugent system and as normal or BV by Spiegel. Among these, the Ison/Hay procedure identified four categories of microbiota. Ten (25 percent) specimens were classified as grade II microbiota, confirming their categorization by Nugent as intermedíate microbiota, six (15 percent) were classified in the III category, confirming the diagnosis ofBV by Spiegel, 13 (32.5 percent) corresponded to the category III, that does not exist in the Nugent and Spiegel categorization systems. Finally, 11 specimens could not be assigned to one category due to microscopic limitations to distinguish bacterial morphotypes. Conclusions: The systems proposed by Spiegel, Nugent and Ison I Hay are comparable for the diagnosis of BV. However, we recommend the use of Ison/ Hay procedure to evalúate vaginal microbiota, due to its wider range of categories, allowing a better discrimination ofthe vaginal microbiota.