STIs Are More Common in Women With Vaginosis
Women with bacterial vaginosis are at an increased risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In addition, women with symptoms of vaginitis may be at risk for an STI and should undergo molecular testing in order to receive broader diagnostic coverage, according to results of a new study.
To evaluate the likelihood of STIs in women with vaginitis, the researchers assessed vaginal swab samples that had originally been used to test for vaginitis. In all, the researchers analyzed 581 specimens using a molecular diagnostic assay.
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Using the samples, the researchers calculated the rates for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis DNA.
The researchers determined that participants who were positive for bacterial vaginosis were significantly more likely to have chlamydia, trichomonas, or any other STI. In fact, more than 85% of participants who were positive for any STI were also positive for bacterial vaginosis or Candida spp.
Further, participants who had bacterial vaginosis alone or with concurrent Candida spp infections had high rates of coinfection with STIs (24.4%-25.7%). At 7.9%, the rate of STIs was significantly lower among the samples negative for vaginitis.
“The increased risk of some STIs in women who are positive for bacterial vaginosis or Candida spp provides a strong impetus for comprehensive testing for STI. Integration of molecular testing for vaginitis and STI would establish consistent, objective, and sensitive testing methods, regardless of clinic type, to accurately identify and treat patients for these conditions,” the researchers concluded.
“Clinical diagnosis that determines only a single pathogen or syndrome is likely underdiagnosing STI infections that require different clinical management.”
—Colleen Murphy
Reference:
Van Der Pol B, Daniel G, Kodsi S, Paradis S, Cooper CK. Molecular-based testing for sexually transmitted infections using samples previously collected for vaginitis diagnosis. Clin Infect Dis. 2019;68(3):375-381. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciy504.