Elsevier

Maturitas

Volume 27, Issue 3, July 1997, Pages 253-260
Maturitas

The relationship of bacterial vaginosis, candida and trichomonas infection to symptomatic vaginitis in postmenopausal women attending a vaginitis clinic

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-5122(97)00038-8Get rights and content

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis, Candida albicans, and Trichomonas vaginalis infections in a population of postmenopausal women with symptoms of vaginitis seen at a vaginitis clinic either as self-referred or clinician referred patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 148 postmenopausal women (cases) and 1564 controls of reproductive age attending a vaginitis clinic. C. albicans and T. vaginalis infections were diagnosed by culture techniques. Bacterial vaginosis was diagnosed on the basis of clinical findings. Results: Fifty-six (37.8%) postmenopausal women and 834 (53.3%) controls were diagnosed with T. vaginalis or C. albicans infection, or bacterial vaginosis, or mixed infection (odds ratio (OR) 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37–0.75). C. albicans and T. vaginalis infection were diagnosed in 34.1% (5341564) and 1.92% (301564) of women of childbearing age and in 3.5% (20148) and 10.8% of postmenopausal women, respectively. (P < 0.05 for both comparisons). The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis was similar between the two groups (14148 in postmenopausal patients and 2101564 in controls of reproductive age; P = 0.22). Conclusions: Among postmenopausal women attending a vaginitis clinic, a defined diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis, C. albicans or T. vaginalis infection can be made in about one third of such patients. Concerning the two thirds of symptomatic women lacking such a microbiologic diagnosis, alternative causes (e.g., estrogen deficiency, nonanaerobic bacterial infections, local irritants or allergenes, and dermatologic conditions) need to be considered.

References (12)

  • R Amsel et al.

    Nonspecific vaginitis: Diagnostic criteria and microbial and epidemiological associations

    Am J Med

    (1983)
  • JD Sobel

    Vaginal infections in adult women

    Med Clin North Am

    (1990)
  • B Larsen

    Vaginal flora in health and disease

    Clin Obstet Gynecol

    (1993)
  • B Larsen et al.

    Vaginal microbial flora: composition and influence of host physiology

    Ann Intern Med

    (1982)
  • KJ Rothman

    Modern epidemiology

    (1986)
  • MV Schaaf et al.

    The limited value of symptoms and signs in the diagnosis of vaginal infections

    Arch Intern Med

    (1990)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (0)

View full text