Cervical cytology in genital infection

Papanicolaou-stained cervical smears taken from 203 female patients with either gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis, or candidosis were examined for the degree of inflammatory change. The results from these patients were compared with the results of smears taken from women who had no evidence of sexually-acquired infection after full assessment in the clinic. Gonorrhoea and trichomoniasis were associated with inflammatory changes but these were less marked in patients with candidosis. It is concluded that, before cytological inflammatory changes are attributed to non-specific genital infection, it is important to exclude gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis, and, to a lesser extent, candidosis.