Detection of bacterial vaginosis in Papanicolaou smears

In a prospective study of 145 women, bacterial vaginosis was clinically diagnosed in 46 women. Compared with clinical diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis, detection of so-called clue cells in Papanicolaou smears showed a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 97%. The positive and negative predictive values were 94% and 95%, respectively. The study results indicate that demonstration of clue cells in Papanicolaou smears is a useful method for identification of women with probable bacterial vaginosis. This provides a basis for the use of archival material in retrospective studies with regard to possible links between bacterial vaginosis and development of cervical cancer.