Anaerobic bacteriological profile of leukorrhea in reproductive age group women

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Leukorrhea is one of the most common complaints of women in their reproductive age group attending the OBG OPD and Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is its most common cause. AIM: of the study was to isolate and identify the anaerobic bacteria causing leukorrhea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross sectional study conducted in a medical college and tertiary care hospital, on 250 married women in their reproductive age group attending the OBG OPD with complaints of leukorrhea. High vaginal swabs were collected from these women and BV was diagnosed using Amsel's clinical composite criteria. Anaerobic bacteria were isolated from the samples using standard operative procedure. RESULTS: Out of 250 women, 220 (88%) had a thin, grey, homogenous discharge and 30 (12%) had thick, white non offensive discharge, indicating vaginal candidiasis. Out of the 220 women, 123 (55.9%) were diagnosed to have BV by Amsel's criteria and 42 (19%) of them were culture positive for anaerobic bacteria. Porphyromonas spp. (55%) was the most common bacteria isolated, followed by Peptostreptococcus spp. (17%) and Bacteroides spp. (14%). CONCLUSION: Anaerobic bacteria are important pathogens in the causation of bacterial vaginosis along with other aerobic organisms.