Vaginal microbial flora in normal young women.
Br Med J 1979; 1 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.6176.1450 (Published 02 June 1979) Cite this as: Br Med J 1979;1:1450- M J Goldacre,
- B Watt,
- N Loudon,
- L J Milne,
- J D Loudon,
- M P Vessey
Abstract
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.