The prevalence of Gardnerella vaginalis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Candida albicans in the cytology clinic at Ibadan, Nigeria
Konje, J.C.; Otolorin, E.O.; Ogunniyi, J.O.; Obisesan, K.A.; Ladipo, O.A.
African Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences 20(1): 29-34
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0309-3913 PMID: 1905467 Document Number: 317287
Between October 1, 1986-April 30, 1989, laboratory staff at the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria tested the cervical smears of 2224 women (20 years old). 50.3% of the women underwent a smear for routine reasons and 49.7% did due to indications such as cervical erosion, cervicitis, vaginal discharge, postcoital bleeding, and intermenstrual bleeding. 14.5% of the smears revealed specific vaginal infections. Overall prevalence for Gardnerella vaginalis was 9.76%, 2.52% for Trichomonas vaginalis, and 2.2% for Candida albicans. The staff detected G. vaginalis in 63.4% of the 322 women who had a vaginal infection. 17.4% had syphilis and 15.2% candidiasis. 30.44 year old women comprised the largest group of women (46.8%) with these sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Yet there was a sizable percentage of women 45 years old with an STD (22.1%), especially the uneducated women. This could be due to the economic necessity of husbands leaving wives to find work and who consequently have several sexual partners. It may also be a result of increased contraceptive use among older women which fosters multiple sexual relationships. 43.13% of women with a vaginal infection had a discharge. 24.51% of all women who presented with vaginal discharge tested positive for G. vaginalis while only 8.86% of the asymptomatic controls did. All women with abnormal smears other than those with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia were treated with oral metronidazole and vaginal clotrimazole. Only 8.9% of the women still had abnormal smears after 3 months. In conclusion, the researchers believed that cervical cytology, both identification of the organism or of characteristics cellular changes, can easily diagnose these 3 STDs.