Vaginitis

From Citizendium
Revision as of 22:06, 21 April 2011 by imported>Robert Badgett (→‎Treatment)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This article is a stub and thus not approved.
Main Article
Discussion
Related Articles  [?]
Bibliography  [?]
External Links  [?]
Citable Version  [?]
 
This editable Main Article is under development and subject to a disclaimer.

In medicine, vaginitis is "inflammation of the vagina characterized by pain and a purulent discharge."[1] Common causes are trichimonas vaginalis, candida albicans, and gardnerella vaginalis. Atrophic vaginitis, however, is a different syndrome, not involving infection.

Diagnosis

The best symptoms and physical examination findings for diagnosis have been identified in a systematic review by the Rational Clinical Examination.[2]

  • Candida albicans usually causes itching and the absence of this finding helps exclude this pathogen.
  • Gardnerella vaginalis usually causes foul and the absence of this finding helps exclude this pathogen.

A more recent meta-analysis estimates that the accuracy of the physical examination as compared to DNA probe testing are:[3]

Treatment

Probiotics may reduce recurrences.[4]

Atrophic vaginitis may respond to a pH-Balanced gel.[5]

References