Incidental Finding of Vaginitis on Liquid-Based Papanicolaou Test Compared to Wet Mount and DNA Probe

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the incidental diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis, bacterial vaginosis, and yeast/ Candida on the liquid-based Papanicolaou (Pap) test when compared to wet mount/KOH prep/whiff test, and DNA probe. Methods: Six-hundred and nine (609) women who underwent a Pap test also had a wet mount/KOH prep/whiff test, and DNA probe performed evaluating for Trichomonas, bacterial vaginosis, and yeast/candidiasis. Pap specimens showing incidental infection were evaluated for diagnostic accuracy by comparing results with the wet mount/KOH prep/whiff test and the DNA probe. Results: Of 609 women evaluated, 145 (23.8%) Pap tests, 161 (26.4%) wet mount/KOH prep/whiff tests, and 365 (59.9%) DNA probes noted the presence of vaginal infections. The specificity and positive predictive value of the Pap test, when compared to the DNA probe, were: 99.6% and 93.1% for Trichomonas; 99.3% and 97.1% for bacterial vaginosis; and 96.3% and 61.5% for yeast/Candida. The same...