Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Abnormal vaginal discharge: what does and does not work in treating underlying causes.

Linda French1, Jennifer Horton, Michelle Matousek

  • 1Department of Family Practice, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, B101 Clinical Center, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. Linda.French@ht.msu.edu

The Journal of Family Practice
|November 6, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Self-diagnosing vaginal infections can lead to delayed treatment for serious conditions. Over-the-counter antifungal misuse increases drug resistance in Candida species.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Yellow fever outbreak potential in Djibouti, Somalia and Yemen: a mathematical modelling study.

BMC global and public health·2026
Same author

Genomic Analysis of Sin Nombre Virus Sequences, Northwestern United States, 2023.

Emerging infectious diseases·2026
Same author

Comparative susceptibility of Old World and New World bat cell lines to Zika virus: Insights into viral replication and inflammatory responses.

PLoS neglected tropical diseases·2026
Same author

Bridging the implementation gap in non-communicable diseases.

Nature medicine·2025
Same author

What's beyond the core? Database coverage in qualitative information retrieval.

Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA·2025
Same author

A Pilot Randomized Trial of a Brief Mental Health Crisis Prevention Program for Autistic Youth.

Journal of autism and developmental disorders·2025

Area of Science:

  • Gynecology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Intravaginal antifungal medications have been available for over 10 years.
  • Women often self-diagnose yeast infections based on abnormal vaginal discharge or vulvovaginal symptoms.
  • Self-diagnosis may delay proper diagnosis and treatment of other conditions, including sexually transmitted diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the risks associated with self-diagnosis of vaginal infections.
  • To emphasize the importance of accurate diagnosis for abnormal vaginal discharge.
  • To discuss the implications of over-the-counter antifungal medication use.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on vaginal discharge and antifungal use.
  • Analysis of potential misdiagnosis scenarios.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Discussion of antimicrobial resistance patterns.

    • Main Results:

    • Abnormal vaginal discharge is frequently bacterial vaginosis or has no identifiable pathogen.
    • Self-treatment delays diagnosis of other conditions, including sexually transmitted infections.
    • Increasing resistance of Candida species to imidazoles is linked to non-prescription antifungal product overuse.

    Conclusions:

    • Accurate office-based diagnostic testing is crucial for managing abnormal vaginal discharge.
    • Judicious use of antifungal medications is necessary to prevent resistance.
    • Healthcare providers should guide patients on appropriate diagnosis and treatment of vulvovaginal symptoms.