Bacterial vaginosis with special reference to anaerobes.

AIMS: This study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and to estimate the prevalence of anaerobic organisms in vaginal discharge of women suffering from bacterial vaginosis. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Patients attending the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of a Medical College Hospital. A one year cross-sectional study. METHODS AND MATERIALS: High vaginal swabs taken from 174 female patients complaining of abnormal vaginal discharge. BV was diagnosed by clinical composite criteria and by gram stain. Anaerobes were isolated and identified from the discharge. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Chi square test, with level of significance set at a value of P< 0.05. Results: BV was diagnosed in 68.39% of the cases by using clinical composite criteria and in 58.4% of the cases by gram stain. Anaerobic culture isolation of vaginal swabs revealed that out of 174 cases 143 (82.65%) were culture positive for anaerobes. Bacteroides were significantly raised in BV as compared with non bacterial vaginosis (NBV; < 0.05%). CONCLUSIONS: Anaerobic bacteria are important pathogens in the causation of bacterial vaginosis along with other aerobic organisms. Bacteroides and peptostreptococci are significantly raised in BV.