Gardnerella Vaginalis Associated Bacterial Vaginosis: A Review Article

Abstract

Introduction: Gardnerella vaginalis is associated with bacterial vaginosis. Bacterial vaginosis (bacterial vaginosis = BV) is a clinical syndrome due to replacement of Lactobacillus spp. producing hydrogen peroxidase (H2O2) in normal vagina with high concentrations of anaerobic bacteria (eg Bacteroides spp., Mobiluncus spp.), this clinical syndrome also has other names, namely Haemophilus vaginalis vaginitis, nonspecific vaginitis or Gardnerella vaginalis vaginitis. Because the cause of BV is bacteria which are normal vaginal flora, BV is referred to as an endogenous infection in the female reproductive tract. Previous published research on BV has shown disagreements about transmission through sexual contact. Post-puberty women without sexual experience experience BV less frequently than those who have sexual experience. However, longitudinal cohort studies provide evidence that women who have new sexual partners or have multiple sexual partners have an increased incidence of BV.The likelihood that a woman has BV has a 20-fold increase in risk if her partner has BV. This raises the suggestion that it is possible that BV can be transmitted through sexual contact. However, there was no association between the incidence of BV with smoking habits, a history of abnormal Pap smears, menstruation, and menarche. Aim of this article is to review gardnerella vaginalis infection in bacterial vaginosis. Discussion: The presence of sexually transmitted diseases can also increase the risk of bacterial vaginosis. The normal vaginal ecosystem is a complex aspect. Lactobacillius is the dominant bacterial species (normal flora) in the vagina of women of childbearing age, but there are also other bacteria, namely aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. At the time BV appears, there is an overgrowth of some bacterial species which are normally present in low concentrations. Therefore, BV is categorized as an endogenous infection of the female reproductive tract.. Women with positive G. vaginalis cultures do not need routine therapy, unless they have BV symptomatically. All women with symptomatic BV require treatment, including pregnant women. Treatment of BV in pregnant women is to relieve signs and symptoms of vaginal infection, reduce the risk of infectious complications that accompany BV during pregnancy, and decrease other risk factors. Several studies using placebo have shown that treatment of sexual partners of women with BV does not improve clinical outcome of BV or decrease recurrence. Conclusion: BV has a favorable prognosis, and spontaneous improvement is reported in over one-third of cases. With the treatment of metronidazole and clindamycin gave a high cure rate (84 - 96%).Prevention needs to be done to minimize the actions that can be taken to prevent bacterial vaginosis.