Mixed Vaginitis Due to Bacterial Vaginosis and Candidiasis

The aim of the study was to review recent clinic cases with mixed vaginitis due to bacterial vaginosis (BV) and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) with reference to demographics, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment.

This is a retrospective chart review of patients defined with mixed vaginitis due to BV and VVC in academic vaginitis clinic over 3 years (2018-2021).

Thirty-eight women, mean age 32.6 years, met mixed vaginitis definition criteria. Diagnosis was invariably suspected clinically and rapidly confirmed using standard point of care diagnostic tests. Most patients (>90%) had a history of long-standing recurrent vaginitis both BV and VVC. Condom use was infrequent at 30% and 100% of yeast isolates were Candida albicans. Dual antimicrobial therapy achieved short term therapeutic success in 66.7% with failure in part due to fluconazole resistant C. albicans strains.

Mixed vaginitis is not uncommon and serves as a significant therapeutic challenge requiring initial dual antimicrobial therapy and additional consideration for long-term antimicrobial therapy.