Bacterial Vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection (vaginitis). It is also refered to as vaginal bacteriosis. Bacterial Vaginosis is a condition in women where the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina is disrupted and replaced by an overgrowth of certain bacteria. Discharge, odor, pain, itching, or burning sometimes accompanies it. It is not generally considered to be a sexually transmitted infection. Bacterial Vaginosis is the most common vaginal infection in women of childbearing age.

Symptoms and signs

The most common symptom of bacterial vaginosis is an abnormal vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odor. By contrast, a normal discharge will be odourless and will vary in consistency and amount with your menstrual cycle. Discharge, if present, is usually white or gray; it can be thin. Some of you may find a strong fishy odor, especially after intercourse. If you have bacterial vaginosis, you may have burning during urination or itching around the vagina, or both. Many of you may not find any signs or symptoms at all.

Medical problems
If bacterial vaginosis is not treated, then it may because serious problems like -
Pregnancy problems - bacterial vaginosis can cause premature delivery and low birth weight babies.
PID - Pelvic inflammatory disease or PID is an infection that can affect a woman's uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. Having bacterial vaginosis increases the risk of getting PID after a surgical procedure.
Higher risk of getting other STDs - Having bacterial vaginosis can increase the chances of getting other STDs, such as Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV.

Diagnosis

Besides bacteria, yeast infection can also cause vaginal discharge or it may be normal for you. So, it needs a total checkup. A few sample tests are to be done to be sure about you having bacterial vaginosis. doctor will carry out a speculum examination and take some swabs from high in the vagina. These swabs will be tested for:

  • A characteristic smell—this is called the whiff test.
  • Loss of acidity—the vagina is normally slightly acidic (with a pH of 3.8–4.2). A positive result for bacterial vaginosis would be a pH of over 4.5.
  • Clue cell—They can be seen under microscopic examination of your discharge.

Two positive results in addition to the discharge itself are enough to diagnose bacterial vaginosis in you. If there is no discharge, then all 3 criteria are needed.

Causes

The cause of bacterial vaginosis   is not fully understood. Bacterial vaginosis occurs with an imbalance in the bacteria that are normally found in your vagina. Bacterial vaginosis   develops when there is an increase in harmful bacteria.
Bacterial vaginosis is cause by microorganisms Trichomonas vaginalis, Gardnerella vaginalis, Mobiluncus, Bacteroides, and Mycoplasma. When number of these organisms increase and lactobacillus decreases then bacterial vaginosis occurs. Lactobacillus appears to prevent other vaginal microorganisms from multiplying to a level where they cause symptoms.
Bacterial vaginosis is triggered by sexual intercourse. Most cases of bacterial vaginosis  occur in sexually active women between the ages of 15 and 44, especially after contact with a new partner. Other cause smay be douching, and using an intrauterine device (IUD) for contraception.

Treatment

Bacterial vaginosis can be treated in several ways. You may take pills prescribed by your physician or put a cream or gel to your vagina. It is important to use your medicine exactly as your doctor tells you.

Bacterial vaginosis can be cured by antibiotics such as metronidazole and tetracycline. You can also use over the counter products such as RePhresh, boric acid, or Lactobacillus Acidophilus capsules to treat bacterial vaginosis.
You may find that bacterial vaginosis is cleared without any treatment, but treatment is necessary for women with symptoms of bacterial vaginosis to avoid such complications as PID. Vaginal infection treatment is also important for pregnant women to keep her safe from pregnancy problems.

How to prevent it?

The following basic prevention steps can help reduce the risk of upsetting the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina and developing bacterial vaginosis:

Bacterial vaginosis is associated with your sex partner. So try to have single sex partner, do not douche and use all of the medicine prescribed for treatment of bacterial vaginosis, even if the signs and symptoms go away.
Bacterial vaginosis is often ignored by many women. However, it requires due medical attention. Or better practice above measures and you will never have the problem.