Haemophilus vaginalis infection. Diagnosis and treatment

Some 4,263 women from special, family planning and gynecologic clinics were screened at random for the presence of H. vaginalis (C. vaginale) infection. Twenty-four percent of the women from the special clinics, 6% from the family planning and 4% from the gynecology clinics were culture positive although microscopic findings were somewhat higher than this. Of 582 women attending special clinics who were infected solely with H. vaginalis, only 261 complained of having an offensive discharge. Two hundred thirty-eight women reported "no symptoms," but 116 of them did have an offensive discharge on examination. These 582 women were treated with either ampicillin, ampicillin with probenecid or sulphonamide vaginal tablets. All were largely effective. Direct microscopy was regarded as being a reliable guide to H. vaginalis infection.