Which are the Bacteria that cause vaginitis?
A vaginal infection caused due to bacteria is called Bacterial Vaginosis (BV). There are many different bacteria that can cause vaginitis. Bacteria that can cause vulvovaginitis include streptococcal species (including group A streptococci), Escherichia coli, and Shigella sonnei. Instead of Lactobacillus (a type of normal bacteria that can live naturally in the vagina) being the most numerous, increased numbers of bacteria such as Gardnerella vaginalis, Bacteroides, Mobiluncus, and Mycoplasma hominis are found in the vaginas of women with BV.
BV is a very common occurrence in women of reproductive age. Just like a yeast infection, BV too is caused when the bacteria inside a woman's vagina start overgrowing. Why that happens is not exactly known but unprotected sexual contact does contribute significantly. Certain women also react more adversely to body fluids such as semen. According to some doctors the normal flora of the vagina gets disturbed during intercourse, which leads to a bacterial overgrowth. The other explanation is that in women the vaginal opening lies very close to the anal opening. So during intercourse the bacteria can get pushed deep inside the woman's vagnia leading to an infection. Women who douche often, or use an IUD (intra uterine device) for birth control are at a higher risk for getting BV.
Only a doctor can confirm whether you have a BV, but common symptoms of the condition include:
Since bacteria cause BV a course of antibiotics is very helpful in curing the disease. Pregnant women are quite prone to vaginitis and must receive treatment for it since the bacteria can affect pregnancy resulting in preterm labor.
Some common bacterial infections of the vagina are:
1. Chlamydia:
The women most prone to this infection are in the age group of
18-35 with multiple sexual partners. Chlamydia is caused by a
bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis. It is one of the most
commonly occurring sexually transmitted disease in the US. It
often goes undetected. Chlamydia can be serious because it can
lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which is a cause of
infertility among women, and can cause serious harm to the
pelvic region. Chlamydia exists in different strains and a
trained practitioner must make its diagnosis. Chlamydia can be
recognized by its typical symptoms of increased vaginal
discharge, painful urination, and pelvic and abdominal pain, pus
in the urine and a red and sore urethra and labia. Antibiotics
are used for treating chlamydia.
2. Gonococcal vaginitis:
bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which also causes the
sexually transmitted disease Gonorrhea, cause this kind of
vaginitis. A Gonococcal infection can exist with other kinds of
infections in the vagina. It is a painful disease and is
recognized by the presence of blood and yellowish discharge from
the vagina in women and a yellowish discharge from the penis in
men. Apart from that, men might also notice swollen or painful
testicles, and women can suffer from abdominal pain and bleeding
during intercourse. Gonococcal vaginitis must be treated
immediately, if neglected it can cause infertility, pelvic pain,
ectopic pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain. Treatment with
antibiotics is effective in treating Gonococcal vaginitis but
both partners must be treated at the same time to prevent
re-infection.
|
