STIs involving discharges - vulvovaginitis Flashcards
What is sexual health?
- a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction, or infirmity.
What are the 5 P’s related to sexual hx?
- Partners
- Practices
- Prevention
- Pregnancy
- Protection
- Past Hx of STIs
What are the STIs of concern that cause “drips” (discharges)?
- gonorrhea
- Chlamydia
- nongonococcal urethritis/mucopurulent cervicitis
- Trirchomonas vaginitis/urethritis
- Candidiasis
- bacterial vaginosis
What is vulvovaginitis?
the spectrum of conditions that cause symptoms such as vulvovaginal itching, burning, irritation, and abnormal discharge.
What is used to treat trichomoniasis?
metronidazole (can be used in pregnancy)
What is trichamonis vaginitis?
- sexually transmitted parasite that causes vaginitis and cervicitis (STRAWBERRY CERVIX due to inflammation from capillary dilation).
- causes burning, itching, dyspareunia (painful sex) and malodorous yellow/green discharge.
- causes pH greater than 4.5 in vaginosis
How do we diagnose trichamonis vaginosis?
- well show MOTILE trophozoites under wet mount
What is important to remember about treatment for trichamonis vaginosis?
treat BOTH partners
What is Candidiasis?
- fungus that causes “cottage cheese” like discharge, vulvar/vaginal pruritus along with burning, irritation, dyspareunia (painful sex), and burning with urination.
- will see PSEUDOHYPHAE on saline wet mount of vaginal discharge.
How do you treat candidiasis?
- fluconazole
What will bacterial overgrowth of Gardnerella vaginalis do to the protective H2O2-producing Lactobacilli (aka disturbance of natural flora)?
allow for increase in pH and growth of other bacteria or candida species (greater than 4.5).
*normal vaginal pH= 3.8-4.2
What factors can adversely affect the normal vaginal flora?
- douching
- antibiotics
- hormonal changes
- use of oral contraceptives
- foreign bodies (tampons, IUD…)
- semen
- menses
What is the KOH “whiff” test?
- place sample of vaginal secretions in a test tube with KOH and if bacterial vaginosis infection, you will smell a sharp “fishy” odor, indicative of Gardnerella vaginalis.
Where should you take a sample when testing for vaginal pH?
- from the mid portion of vaginal wall; NOT cervix, which has a pH of 7.
What are some general problems associated with Gardnerella vaginalis (aka bacterial vaginosis; BV)?
- PID, preterm birth, chorioamnionitis…