Vaginal microbial flora in normal young women.
Vaginal swabs were taken from 1498 women attending a family planning clinic. The flora was assessed in the absence of any information about the women to whom the swabs related. Yeasts and fungi were present in 311 women (21%) and were no more prevalent among "pill" users than others. Candida albicans was significantly associated with vulval itching and with a vaginal discharge described as heavier than normal or curdy on clinical examination, though these abnormalities were present in only a minority of women with the organism. Trichomonas vaginalis was found in 14 women (1%) and was associated with abnormalities of vaginal discharge in all but one. Gram-negative anaerobic bacilli were significantly more common in women with a troublesome vaginal discharge and those who used an intrauterine device than others. No associations were found between fungi other than C albicans or the other bacteria sought and either symptoms or clinical abnormalities of vaginal discharge.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006089:Gram-Negative Anaerobic Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007434:Intrauterine Devices; D007973:Leukorrhea / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011539:Pruritus Vulvae / Q000382:microbiology; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*
D003276:Contraceptives, Oral