Gynaecology: Infections (Discharge, Lumps, Ulcers, Blood Borne) Flashcards
What ae the significant history points to get from a patient presenting with discharge?
- What discharge is normal for you
- Colour/ consistency/ odour
- Associated pain (dysuria, dyspareunia)
- Associated bleeding (PCB, IMB)
- Associated itchiness
- Triggers (e.g. cyclical, after sex, recent antibiotics)
- Sexual history and contraception
- Pregnancy risk
- Washing habits (e.g douching, products)
How would you examine a patient presenting with discharge and what signs are you looking for?
External exam:
- Rashes
- Fissures
- Lumps
- Ulcers
Speculum:
- Internal lesions
- Cervical health (any inflammation, lesions, polyps, strawberry…)
What is a strawberry cervix indicative of?
Trichomonas Vaginalis
What tests would you consider in a patient with discharge?
Should do…
- High vaginal swab (use charcoal swab for microscopy and culture for Trichomonas, Candida)
- Vulvovaginal swab (NAAT for NG and CT)
Can do…
- Culture for other organisms if relevant e.g. endocervical culture for NG if high clinical suspision
- HSV PCR if required
What are some physiological causes of vaginal discharge?
- Sexual arousal
- Menstrual cyclical variation
- Pregnancy
What are some pathological, vaginal causes of discharge?
- Candidiasis
- Trichomoniasis
- Bacterial Vaginosis
- Post menopausal vaginitis
What are some pathological, cervical causes of discharge?
- Gonorrhoea
- Non-specific infection
- Herpes
- Cervical ectopy
- Cervical neoplasm
What would you suspect in a woman presenting with thick, white, cottage-cheese like discharge + itchiness and soreness?
Candida infection (thrush).
What signs would you look for and investigations would you order in a suspected thrush case?
Signs:
- Vulval erythema
- Possibly fissures
- Classic discharge
Investigations
- Swabs taken from high vaginal walls
- Should show spores + neutrophils
- Culture (from a charcoal swab) may grow candida but lack of growth does not rule out infection
What are some risk factors for candida/thrush?
- Immunosuppression (common in HIV patients)
- Steroids or Chemo
- High oestrogen levels (pregnancy)
- Antibiotics in last 3 months
- DM
How is candidiasis managed?
Normally =
- Fluconazole, 150mg, PO, stat
- Clotrimazole 1% cream BD for 2 weeks
If pregnant or breastfeeding give Clotrimazole 500mg pessary PV instead of Fluconazole.
How is recurrent candidiasis defined and managed?
4 symptomatic episodes a year.
Mx with induction therapy then maintenance:
- I = Flu 150mg, every 72 hours, 3 times
- M = Flu 150mg, once a week for 6 months
- Again use Clotrimazole pessaries if CI
What is the medication of choice for thrush?
FLUCLONAZOLE (150MG PO)
+ Clotrimazole 1% cream (BD)
What would you be thinking if a woman presents with a thin, white, homogenous discharge coating the walls of the vagina and vestibule?
Eww.
Probably bacterial vaginosis though.
What is the commonest cause of vaginal discharge in a woman of child bearing age?
Bacterial vaginosis.
What triggers bacterial vaginosis infections?
Anything that upsets the normal balance of vaginal flora/ causes a rise in vaginal pH
- Sex
- Menses
- Receptive oral SI
- Vaginal douching
- Perfumed bath products
- Change in sexual partners
- Presence of an STI
What are the two diagnostic criteria used for bacterial vaginosis?
Hay-Ison criteria based on microscopy. 1-4 based on loss or reduction of lactobacili + domination of gram positive cocci.
Amsel criteria based on:
- Characteristic discharge
- Clue cells on wet mount
- Raised pH
- Whiff test
When do you treat bacterial vaginosis?
- Symptomatic
- Pre-surgery
- Patient request
Consider in asymptomatic pregnant women (BV increases miscarriage risk)
What is the treatment for bacterial vaginosis?
Metronidazole 400mg, BD for 5 days. (can also give 2g all at once.
Generic: give advice relating to triggers and how to avoid e.g. change washing habits, invest in condoms.
What is your first thought if a woman presents with frothy white vaginal discharge (+/- vulval itchiness and soreness)
Trichomonas Vaginalis.
Look for strawberry cervix, classic sign but actually only seen in 2% of patients.
How is Trichomonas Vaginalis contracted?
STI. Rarely detected in men but commonly in women, inoculated into genital tract and grows in vagina, urethra, para-urethral glands
What are the main complications of TV?
In pregnancy leads –> pre-term delivery and low birth weight
Can also increase HIV transmission
How is TV diagnosed?
Can use a
- Wet mount (70% sensitive)
- Culture (with a charcoal swab 95%)
- NAAT (98%)
How do men present with TV infections?
NSU (non-specific urethritis), test for TV if G and C come back -ve
How is TV treated?
Same as BV:
- Metronidazole, 400mg, PO, BD for 5-7 days
- Metronidazole 2g, PO, STAT
What are the main causes of male discharge?
STIs:
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhoea
- Mycoplasma Genitalium
- Trichomonas Vaginalis
- HSV
Non-STI:
- UTI
- Adenovirus
- Candida
Non-Infective:
- Drugs
- Alcohol
- Trauma
- Foreign body
What Ix would you order for male urethral discharge?
- Urine NAAT for G and C
- Gram stained smear from urethra
- G culture (if clinically suspicious)
Can also do:
- MSU/urinalysis
- HSV PCR
How is NSU defined?
Non specific Urethritis = Inflammation of the urethra in the absence of a diagnosis of Chlamydia or Gonorrhoea
Commonly associated with discharge, dysuria, penile irritation
How is NSU diagnosed?
Gram stain + microscopy of urethral sample. Look for 5+ polymorphonuclear leucocytes per field.
How do you manage a patient with NSU?
- Send STI screen
- Treat empirically with 1 week of Doxycycline, 100mg, PO, BD (empirical treatment for Chlamydia)
- Tell them to abstain from sex during their and their partner’s treatment.
- Refer to GUM if recurrent.
Why is Chlamydia the most common STI in the UK?
Most cases are asymptomatic.
Common symptoms are quite vague e.g. rogue pain from cervicitis and urethritis.