Laboratory diagnosis of Gardnerella vaginalis vaginosis

An evaluation of various laboratory detection methods and characteristics of Gardnerella vaginalis was made using high vaginal swab samples of 470 out patient clinic--attending women. Gram stain for 'clue cells' showed positive results in 118 (25.1%)cases; culture, in 100 cases, (213%) and Amine Odour (213%), in 26 cases 5.5%, Majority, 71 cases, of the culture-positive results were associated with a pH value of 6 to 7. Gardnerella vaginalis grew predominantly in enriched culture media: Modified peptone-starch dextrose blood agar used for primary culture of organism, and also proteose peptone broth + cooked meat; Brain-heart infusion broth + 5% human serum; Brain heart infusion starch agar + 5% blood, and chocolate agar. Gardnerella vaginalis culture-positive samples also exhibited positive biochemical reactions with the hydrolysis of starch sensitivity to Bacitracin and 50 microg metronidazole, and haemolysis on human blood agar. Carbohydrate fermentation test was positive for all culture-positive cases, 100% for starch and maltose only, and negative for all the cases, 0% for Mannitol and glycerol.