10Aug 2017

PREVALENCE OF INFECTIOUS VAGINITIS: ANALYSIS OF DATA FROM VAGINAL SWABS EXAMINED IN THE CENTRAL LABORATORY OF KORLE BU TEACHING HOSPITAL, GHANA.

  • Department of OBGYN, Univ. of Ghana School of Medicine and Dentistry. Box 4236, Korle-Bu. Accra. Ghana.
  • Department of Microbiology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Box 77. Korle-Bu. Accra. Ghana.
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Aim: Vaginitis usually results from an infection and can be caused by several different microorganisms, with yeast species generally the predominant pathogens. However, since the aetiological profile of infectious vaginitis can be diverse and has been shown to significantly vary from country to country, the aim of this study was to determine this profile amongst Ghanaian women. Methods: This was a retrospective record review of 1,453 High Vaginal Swabs (HVS) collected between January and December 2014 at the Central Laboratory of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and obtained from women with vaginal discharge who presented at the gynaecological unit for care. All HVSs were cultured on blood and chocolate agars for 18-24 h at 37?C. Colonial morphology, Gram reactions and specified biochemical tests were performed for the identification of isolates. Analysis was done using simple proportions/ frequency for isolated organisms and age distribution of patients. Results: Pathogenic organisms were isolated in 567 out of 1 453 HVSs (39%). Among these, Candida species, not otherwise specified, were the most prevalent microorganisms causing infectious vaginitis (84.5%, n=479). Bacterial isolates accounted for 15.5% (n=88) with Escherichia coli being the most commonly involved specie. As high as 47.4% of isolates were commensals or normal vaginal flora and 13.6% had no growth of microorganisms. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the etiological predominance of Candida infection, but also underlines the noticeable prevalence of bacterial vaginitis. Given this etiological heterogeneity of infectious vaginitis, a broad-spectrum combination treatment may be appropriate as first-line empirical therapy for infectious vaginitis especially in low resource centres were cultures are not readily available.

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[Ali Samba, Kareem Mumuni Opuni A, Dankwah T, Sowah A and Mashud M. (2017); PREVALENCE OF INFECTIOUS VAGINITIS: ANALYSIS OF DATA FROM VAGINAL SWABS EXAMINED IN THE CENTRAL LABORATORY OF KORLE BU TEACHING HOSPITAL, GHANA. Int. J. of Adv. Res. 5 (Aug). 158-163] (ISSN 2320-5407). www.journalijar.com

Ali Samba
1. Department of OBGYN, Univ. of Ghana School of Medicine and Dentistry. Box 4236, Korle-Bu. Accra. Ghana.

DOI:

Article DOI: 10.21474/IJAR01/5046      
DOI URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/5046

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