ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Review publications that significantly impacted on the knowledge of bacterial vaginosis. STUDY DESIGN: Assessment of information on the epidemiology, bacteriology, and pathology of bacterial vaginosis. RESULTS: Bacterial vaginosis has a complex microbiology. Further information is required on the epidemiology. The large increase in the concentration of vaginal bacteria among patients with bacterial vaginosis is associated with postpartum and postsurgical infections and with preterm delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial vaginosis is the most important vaginal infection because of its potential to cause upper genital tract infection in specific settings.
Subject(s)
Vaginosis, Bacterial/history , Female , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , Humans , Vaginosis, Bacterial/epidemiology , Vaginosis, Bacterial/microbiology , Vaginosis, Bacterial/pathologyABSTRACT
The review of the treatment of bacterial vaginosis parallels the history of this syndrome. Before the syndrome was defined, treatment was local and nonspecific. Gardner and Dukes defined nonspecific vaginitis in 1955 as an infection caused by Haemophilus vaginalis. Therapy was directed toward this aerobic "pathogen" and included oral tetracycline and a triple sulfa vaginal cream. Subsequent studies indicated success with this regimen as well as with ampicillin, a drug with good aerobic activity. Since 1977, studies have shown the importance of anaerobes in this clinical syndrome. Both metronidazole and clindamycin have been found to have clinical success. The clinical definition of the disease makes evaluation of treatment difficult, because it includes women without symptoms.
