title: Reliability of self-collected versus provider-collected vaginal swabs for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis.
abstract: Women reluctant to undergo a per-speculum examination consider self-sampling more acceptable. The aim of this study was to compare self-collected vaginal swabs for detection of bacterial vaginosis (BV), candidiasis and trichomoniasis, with vaginal specimens obtained by the gynaecologist at per-speculum examination. Self-collected and provider-collected vaginal swabs were obtained from 50 women attending the gynaecological outpatients department. The Gram-stained smears and saline wet mounts prepared from the provider-collected vaginal swabs were examined by a microbiologist and a gynaecologist. We determined the validity and the inter-rater reliability of the overall BV score and the morphotype specific score using Kappa statistics. When compared with the provider-collected smear, the ability of the self-collected smear to diagnose BV had a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 97%. With specific instructions to help assure the depth of sampling, self-collected swabs can reasonably approximate specimens obtained by clinicians during speculum examination for the diagnosis of BV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi. dr_bineetakashyap@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Bineeta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kashyap
authors.forename: Ruchira
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Preena
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhalla
authors.forename: Raksha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: Abha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D006801:Humans; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012648:Self Care; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis*