Microscopic diagnosis versus potassium hydroxide test (KOH) for Gardnerella vaginalis diagnosis

José Antonio Sánchez Hernández; Antonio Rivera; Oscar Cortés Domínguez; Guillermo Muñoz Zurita; José Fernando Huerta Romano; Dulce Galindo Paz

2017, Number 2

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Enf Infec Microbiol 2017; 37 (2)

**Microscopic diagnosis versus potassium hydroxide test (KOH) for Gardnerella vaginalis diagnosis**

Sánchez HJA, Rivera A, Cortés DO, Muñoz ZG, Huerta RJF, Galindo PD

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Language: Spanish
References: 16
Page: 45-49
PDF size: 269.48 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Introduction. Bacterial vaginosis is a polybacterial disease, with a prevalence ranging from 10% - 40%; is considered the most frequent vaginal infection. Sampling of vaginal mucus and cervical cells is the most widely used diagnostic tool in several countries and the most useful for differentiating a normal microbiota from an abnormal one. The use of pH and potassium hydroxide KOH (Whiff) tests together allow a more accurate diagnosis.
Objective. To compare the positivity of the detection of key cells against the positivity of the Whiff test in women with bacterial vaginosis.
Material and Methods. We included 456 patients who underwent cervico-vaginal exfoliative cytology (Papanicolaou) where key cells were searched, all patients underwent the Whiff test.
Results. Of the 456 patients included in the study, 12.5% were diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis because they had 3 or more criteria. In the population diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis, it was corroborated that the potassium hydroxide (KOH) test was 100% positive. Abnormal vaginal discharge (leucorrhoea) was found in 73%; only the “clue” cells were observed in 20% of the samples. The vaginal pH remained above 4.5 in 98.5% of the cases, 73% of the diagnosed cases of bacterial vaginosis gave pH values of 5, while 24% had a pH of 6 and only one case was measured Normal pH. The cases of bacterial vaginosis were more frequent in women with more than 3 pregnancies.
Conclusión. A 5: 1 ratio of the positive KOH test was found versus the microscopic finding of clue cells in cases of Gardnerella vaginalis infection. Bacterial vaginosis was more frequent in patients with more than 3 gestations.

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