title: Comparison of Gram stain and Pap smear procedures in the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of Gram stain versus Pap smear in diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV).
  
  
  METHODS
  One-thousand and sixty women were enrolled in this study. All cases with symptoms of BV were determined by Amsel's criteria, which were accepted as the gold standard for diagnosis of BV. Pap smear and Gram stain evaluations were compared according to Amsel's criteria, without viewing the clinical results of the patients. Gram stain and Pap smear results were determined as negative or positive according to Amsel's criteria. Sensitivity, specifity and positive predictive values were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After accepting the cases that were diagnosed as BV according to Amsel's criteria as reference cases, the sensitivity of the Gram stain method was calculated as 97% and the sensitivity of the Pap smear method as 93%. Similar specificity rates were obtained with both methods in diagnosis of BV related to the clinical results. There were no statistically significant differences in diagnosis of BV between these two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If Amsel's criteria are accepted as the gold standard for diagnosis of BV, Gram stain and Pap smear methods will give similar results in diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, SSK Izmir Training Hospital, Turkey. vardaren@superonline.com
authors.forename: Enver
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vardar
authors.forename: Izzet
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maral
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inal
authors.forename: Ozgül
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozgüder
authors.forename: Funda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tasli
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Postaci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005840:Gentian Violet / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D010619:Phenazines / Q000592:standards*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000592:standards*; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: C035863:Gram's stain; D010619:Phenazines; D005840:Gentian Violet