Friday, May 22, 2009

Vaginitis , a very common infection for woman


What is vaginitis?
Vaginitis is inflammation of the vagina. Vaginitis is very common and is reported by as many as 75% of women at some point in their lives. Vaginitis can be caused by a number of infections, including bacteria (such as Gardnerella and gonorrhea), protozoans (such as trichomonas), and yeast (Candida). Vaginal yeast infection, which is the most common form of vaginitis, is often referred to as vaginal Candidiasis.


How are vaginal yeast infections and vulvitis diagnosed?
Vaginal yeast infection is suggested when a cheesy white discharge is noted over the walls of the vagina, but the symptoms of vaginal yeast infection are nonspecific and may be a result of other conditions. To firmly establish the diagnosis and to rule out any other causes of the symptoms, your doctor may take a specimen scraped from the affected area for microscopic analysis or for culture in the laboratory. Identification of yeast under a microscope, when possible, is the least expensive and most rapid and accurate way to establish the diagnosis.


If yeast is commonly present in normal women, who should be treated?
All women with the symptoms of infection described above should be treated. Women without symptoms should not be treated. Most experts do not recommend treating the sex partners of women with yeast vaginitis if they do not have symptoms themselves, although this has been a controversial issue

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