RESUMO
Objective: to determine the frequency and type of pathogens in vaginal discharge
Material and Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional study. The out-patient department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Specialist Unit at Services Hospital, Lahore. After taking informed consent a total of 120 women of reproductive age [ 13 to 49 years] were included in the study by convenient sampling. After detailed history and clinical examination, two high vaginal swabs were taken and data was recorded in proforma. One swab was used immediately to prepare a wet mount with one to two drops of normal saline on a glass slide and was examined by light microscopy for motility of Trichomonas vaginalis. The pus cells, budding yeast cells, pseudohyphal and clue cells were also looked for in the same wet mount. Second swab was immediately sent to the microbiology laboratory for Gram's staining and Culture and Sensitivity. The swab was also inoculated on Sabouraud's agar and incubated at 35 degreeC+/-2 degreeC aerobically for 48 hours for the growth of Candida saprophytes. Data was analyzed through computers software SPSS
Results: among 120 patients who had vaginal discharge, 5.8% [n=7] were 13-20 years old, 24.2% [n=29] were 21-30 years old, 55.8% [n=67] were 31-40 years old while 14.2% [n=17] were 41-49 years old. On clinical examination, 54.2% [n=65] patients had fungal infection, 18.3% [n=22] had trichomonas and 15.8% [n=19] had bacterial vaginosis while 11.7% [n=14] patients had mixed infection. HVS microscopy/ culture sensitivity, results showed, 48.3% [n=58] had fungal infection, 12.5% [n=15] had trichomonas and 25.0% [n=30] had bacterial vaginosis and 14.2% [n=17] had mixed infection
Conclusion: vulvovaginal candidiasis was a frequent finding in outpatient departments of tertiary care hospitals of our country