title: [Association of the pH change of vaginal environment in bacterial vaginosis with presence of Enterococcus faecalis in vagina].
abstract: Normal pH value of vagina from 3.8 to 4.2 has regulatory and protectors mechanisms of vaginal environment. The change in the pH value indicates to presence of disbalance in the ecosystem of vaginal environment. The value of pH above 4.0 is indicator of the decreased number of lactobacillus bacteria and the increased number of other microorganisms in the vaginal environment. This situation is present in the case of developing of bacterial vaginosis. One of the bacteria which is often isolated from vaginal swabs is Enterococcus faecalis. Aims of this study are to examine presence o f Enterococcus faecalis in vagina in healthy women and womenwith signs of bacterial vaginosis, the most often present signs in patients with bacterial vaginosis and isolated Enterococcus faecalis from vaginal swabs, and to determine whether the change of the pH value of vaginal environment could be indicator for bacterial vaginosis associated with Enterococcus faecalis. In this study there were included 90 patients. To all patients there were done: gynecological survey, determined pH of vaginal environment and color of vaginal secret, amino odor test, and taken vaginal swabs for microbiological examination. Enterococcus faecalis was found in the patients with pH 4.0 in 24.05 % cases, but in the patients with signs of bacterial vaginosis it was found in 52.78 %. Positive findings of Enterococcus faecalis was the most often associated with presence of all tree signs of bacterial vaginosis (pH>4.0, changed color of vaginal secret and positive amino odor test) it is in 60.78 6% cases. With two signs of bacterial vaginosis (pH>4.0, changed color of vaginal secret) Enterococcus faecalis was present in 60 % cases. The only presence of change in the pH>4.0 was associated with Enterococcus faecalis in 52.78 %. This study showed that pH change of vaginal environment was associated with Enterococcus faecalis in bacterial vaginosis in high percentage but it can not be used as the sure sign of presence of Enterococcus faecalis in vaginal discharge. Therefore it is necessary to make microbiology examination vaginal discharge.
authors.affiliation: Poliklinika za Laboratorijsku Dijagnostiku, Univerzitetski Klinicki Centar Tuzla.
authors.forename: Mahira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jahić
authors.forename: Mahmud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nurkić
authors.forename: Zlatan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fatusić
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology