{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]],"date-time":"2026-08-14T20:35:07Z","timestamp":1786739707483,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":["lww.com","ovid.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,1]]},"abstract":"\n Background:<\/jats:title>\n Vaginal discharge is a common clinical problem with varied etiologies, most common being bacterial vaginosis which presents as homogenous gray discharge caused by overgrowth of facultative and anaerobic bacterial species, next common is vulvovaginal candidiasis characterized by pruritus and cottage cheese like discharge followed by vaginal trichomoniasis associated with copious yellow or green and frothy discharge. This necessitates the need to identify the specific cause of vaginal discharge.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Aim:<\/jats:title>\n To determine the etiology of pathological vaginal discharges in women attending tertiary care hospital.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methodology:<\/jats:title>\n 698 sexually active females in age group of 15 to 65 years with complaints of vaginal discharge attending Department of Dermatology Venereology and Leprosy at a Tertiary care hospital from June 2017 to May 2018 participated in the study. After presumptive clinical diagnosis vaginal discharge was collected. Wet mounts and 10% KOH preparations were examined immediately. Identification of pathogens was done by Gram stain and culture.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results:<\/jats:title>\n 18.33% of 698 patients showed vulvovaginal candidiasis, 13.75% had bacterial vaginosis, 1.86% showed trichomoniasis. Gold standard was considered to be culture for candidiasis & trichomoniasis whereas for bacterial vaginosis it was Nugent's score.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions:<\/jats:title>\n Vaginal discharge is of multiple yet specific etiologies hence simple and minimal tests like microscopy available in most laboratories (supported by culture wherever possible) would help in accurate diagnosis without over or under treatment of patient due to the empirical therapy. Syndromic management of STIs (WHO guidelines) should be used only in non-specific cases.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.4103\/ijstd.ijstd_92_18","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,7,31]],"date-time":"2020-07-31T03:34:07Z","timestamp":1596166447000},"page":"38-45","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/lww.0000000000001000","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Vaginal discharge"],"prefix":"10.4103","volume":"42","author":[{"given":"Shaheen Siddiqua","family":"Amrin","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"G. Jyothi","family":"Lakshmi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"276","reference":[{"key":"R3-7-20240831","first-page":"1328","article-title":"Clinical and microscopic correlation of vaginal discharge","volume":"3","author":"Vijaya","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int J Contemporary Med Res"},{"key":"R4-7-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1016\/S0255-0857(21)02951-0","article-title":"Diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis in a rural setup: Comparison of clinical algorithm, smear scoring and culture by semiquantitative technique","volume":"22","author":"Rao","year":"2004","journal-title":"Indian J Med Microbiol"},{"key":"R5-7-20240831","first-page":"122","article-title":"Incidence of various causes of vaginal discharge among sexually active females in age group 20-40 years","volume":"69","author":"Puri","year":"2003","journal-title":"Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol"},{"key":"R6-7-20240831","first-page":"144","article-title":"Comparison of visual, clinical and microbiological diagnosis of symptomatic vaginal discharge in reproductive age group women","volume":"4","author":"Rekha","year":"2010","journal-title":"Int J Pharm Biomed Res"},{"key":"R7-7-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4741","DOI":"10.14260\/Jemds\/2017\/1027","article-title":"Clinical and aetiological pattern of vaginal discharge in patients attending STD clinic of a tertiary hospital","volume":"6","author":"Ananthula","year":"2017","journal-title":"j Evolution Med Dent Sci"},{"key":"R8-7-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"249","DOI":"10.1136\/sti.79.3.249","article-title":"Vulvovaginal carriage of yeasts other than Candida albicans","volume":"79","author":"Holland","year":"2003","journal-title":"Sex Transm Infec"},{"key":"R9-7-20240831","first-page":"24","article-title":"Comparative study of visual, clinical and microbiological diagnosis of white discharge","volume":"14","author":"Sowjanya","year":"2015","journal-title":"IOSR J Dent Med Sci"},{"key":"R10-7-20240831","first-page":"216","article-title":"Prevalence susceptibility to fluconazole of Candida species causing vulvovaginitis","volume":"126","author":"Mohanty","year":"2007","journal-title":"Indian J Med Res"},{"key":"R11-7-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejogrb.2008.12.020","article-title":"Prevalence of Candida species and potential risk factors for vulvovaginal candidiasis in Aligarh, India","volume":"144","author":"Ahmad","year":"2009","journal-title":"Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol"},{"key":"R12-7-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"144","DOI":"10.4103\/0377-4929.118703","article-title":"Emergence of non-albicans Candida among candidal vulvovaginitis cases and study of their potential virulence factors, from a tertiary care center, North India","volume":"56","author":"Kumari","year":"2013","journal-title":"Indian J Pathol Microbiol"},{"key":"R13-7-20240831","first-page":"788","article-title":"Vulvo vaginal candidiasis: Importance of species identification","volume":";03","author":"Swarajya Lakshmi","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Evolution Med Dent Sci"},{"key":"R14-7-20240831","first-page":"DC06","article-title":"Fungal Profile of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis in a Tertiary Care Hospital","volume":"11","author":"Kalaiarasan","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Clin Diagn Res"},{"key":"R15-7-20240831","first-page":"74","article-title":"Frequency and etiology of vulvovaginal candidiasis in women reffered to gynaecological center in Babol, Iran","volume":"3","author":"Esmaeilzadeh","year":"2009","journal-title":"Int J Fertil Steri"},{"key":"R16-7-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"297","DOI":"10.1128\/jcm.29.2.297-301.1991","article-title":"Reliability of diagnosing bacterial vaginosis is improved by a standardized method of Gram stain interpretation","volume":"29","author":"Nugent","year":"1991","journal-title":"J Clin Microbiol"},{"key":"R17-7-20240831","first-page":"403","article-title":"Cytodiagnosis of discharge per vaginum","volume":"41","author":"Mahadani","year":"1998","journal-title":"Indian J Pathol Microbiol"},{"key":"R18-7-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"353","DOI":"10.3855\/jidc.1153","article-title":"Diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis in cases of abnormal vaginal discharge: Comparison of clinical and microbiological criteria","volume":"5","author":"Modak","year":"2011","journal-title":"J Infect Dev Ctries"},{"key":"R19-7-20240831","first-page":"67","article-title":"The role of Gardnerella vaginalis in nonspecific vaginitis in intra uterine contraceptive device users","volume":"41","author":"Gupta","year":"1998","journal-title":"Indian J Pathol Microbiol"},{"key":"R20-7-20240831","first-page":"432","article-title":"Randomised trials of STD treatment for HIV prevention: Report of an international workshop. HIV\/STD Trials Workshop Group","volume":"73","author":"Hayes","year":"1997","journal-title":"Genitourin Med"},{"key":"R21-7-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1506","DOI":"10.1128\/jcm.28.7.1506-1508.1990","article-title":"Reproducibility of interpretation of Gram-stained vaginal smears for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis","volume":"28","author":"Mazzulli","year":"1990","journal-title":"J Clin Microbiol"},{"key":"R22-7-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16","DOI":"10.4103\/0974-2727.187920","article-title":"A study on the prevalence of genital trichomoniasis among female outpatients attending sexually transmitted infection clinic in a tertiary care hospital","volume":"9","author":"Muthusamy","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Lab Physicians"},{"key":"R23-7-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"339","DOI":"10.1071\/SH09038","article-title":"Prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis infection among young reproductive age women in India: Implications for treatment and prevention","volume":"6","author":"Madhivanan","year":"2009","journal-title":"Sex Health"},{"key":"R24-7-20240831","first-page":"208","article-title":"Comparison of saline wet preparation, Giemsa staining and culture methods for the detection of Trichomonas vaginalis","volume":"7","author":"Akujobi","year":"2006","journal-title":"AfrJ Clin Exp Microbiol"},{"key":"R25-7-20240831","first-page":"607","article-title":"Proline aminopeptidase activity as a rapid diagnostic test to confirm bacterial vaginosis","volume":"71","author":"Thomason","year":"1988","journal-title":"Obstet Gynecol"},{"key":"R26-7-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"205","DOI":"10.1016\/S1054-139X(97)00214-0","article-title":"Diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis in adolescent females: InPouch TV culture versus wet-mount microscopy","volume":"22","author":"Ohlemeyer","year":"1998","journal-title":"J Adolesc Health"}],"container-title":["Indian Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ovid.com\/10.4103\/ijstd.IJSTD_92_18","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]],"date-time":"2026-08-14T19:31:38Z","timestamp":1786735898000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ovid.com\/10.4103\/ijstd.IJSTD_92_18"}},"subtitle":["The diagnostic enigma"],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,1]]},"references-count":24,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4103\/ijstd.ijstd_92_18","relation":{},"ISSN":["2589-0557"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2589-0557","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,1]]}}}