Assessment of Vaginal Lactobacillary Flora
Author Information
Author(s): Gilbert G.G. Donders, Annie Vereecken, Geert Salembier, Ben Van Buick, Bernard Spitz
Primary Institution: University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Hypothesis
How do different methods of assessing vaginal lactobacillary flora affect the diagnosis of genital infections?
Conclusion
Different methods of assessing vaginal lactobacillary flora can lead to discrepancies in diagnosis.
Supporting Evidence
- Fewer lactobacilli were found more often after Gram's stains of fresh specimens.
- Disturbed lactobacillary grades were found more frequently in specimens from the cervix than from the vagina.
- The assignment of intermediate or abnormal flora showed high concordance rates among different techniques.
Takeaway
This study looked at how different ways of checking for good bacteria in the vagina can give different results, which is important for pregnant women.
Methodology
The study classified vaginal lactobacillary flora from 183 pregnant women using three methods: wet-smear microscopy, fresh Gram's stain, and delayed Gram's stain after transport.
Potential Biases
Potential misidentification of bacteria due to staining techniques.
Limitations
The study did not establish a gold standard for assessing lactobacillary grades.
Participant Demographics
Pregnant women undergoing routine checkups or presumed genital infections.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.7-4.1
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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