Vaginal microbial flora in women with and without vaginal discharge registered in general practice

To compare the microbiological findings for patients with and without vaginal discharge, 29 general practitioners registered 361 women with and 229 women without complaints of vaginal discharge in a multi-practice study in the county of Aarhus, Denmark. In five of the patients (1.4%) with vaginal discharge, Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated compared with one (0.4%) in women without vaginal discharge. Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated in 30 (8.3%) and nine (3.9) respectively, Candida in 113 (31.3%) and 44 (19.2%), Gardnerella vaginalis in 187 (51.8%) and 93 (40.6%), and Trichomonas vaginalis in 10 (2.8%) and one (0.4%). The criteria of bacterial vaginosis were fulfilled by 129 (35.7%) women with vaginal discharge, and by 19 (8.3%) without symptoms. Except for T. vaginalis and N. gonorrhoeae, the microorganisms were significantly (p less than 0.05) more frequent among patients with than without vaginal discharge. C. trachomatis was found in 25 (11%) women under the age of 25, compared to 14 (4%) aged 25 years or older (p less than 0.01). The isolation rates of the other microorganisms were not related to age. G. vaginalis was found in high concentrations in 73% of those harbouring this bacterium. No difference in concentration was found between women with and without vaginal discharge (p less than 0.05).