Causes and Treatments for Bacterial Vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis – this is an infectious disease that is manifested by a sharp decrease in the concentration of lactobacilli in the vagina and their replacement by associations of pathogenic anaerobic microorganisms or gardnerella. Until recently, such a pathological condition was considered as an inflammatory disease of the female genital organs called vaginitis. To date, it has been proven that pathological symptoms can be caused only by a violation of the normal ratio of beneficial and pathogenic bacteria, this is important for determining the tactics of treating bacterial vaginosis.

Reasons for treatment of bacterial vaginosis

The presence of inflammation, which is usually determined by detecting a large number of leukocytes in a vaginal smear, does not necessarily mean the need for intensive care. In the medical literature, the term "vaginal dysbacteriosis" is often used to describe this condition.

The causes and risk factors that lead to bacterial vaginosis are different. In all women of reproductive age, the composition of microflora of the vagina is 95-98% provided with lactobacilli, on which the normal functioning of the reproductive system to some extent depends. The remaining 2-5% of the vaginal biocenosis is accounted for by various pathogenic bacteria, which, at a normal concentration of lactobacilli, cannot manifest their pathogenic effect, notes estet-portal.com. In the composition of these same bacteria, gardnerella occupies a central place, the presence of which in a minimum concentration is also important for the reproductive system of a woman.

If, for some reason, the composition of the vaginal microflora is shifted towards pathogenic bacteria, in particular gardnerella, this can cause various symptoms, such as abnormal vaginal discharge.

It should also be noted that bacterial vaginosis in men or bacterial vaginosis in men is not a fictional clinical situation. Through sexual contact with a woman who suffers from bacterial vaginosis, the causative agent of the disease can be transmitted to a sexual partner.

Thus, gardnerellosis disease can occur in men, it also requires mandatory diagnosis and treatment along with the treatment of bacterial vaginosis in women.

Treatment of bacterial vaginosis is necessary for gardnerellosis, which develops against the background of such factors:

• past inflammatory diseases of the genital organs;
• long-term or uncontrolled use of antibacterial agents. Especially often bacterial vaginosis occurs after the unjustified use of antibiotics for prophylactic purposes;
• history of various menstrual disorders;
• consistent use of oral contraceptives;
• long-term contraception using an intrauterine device.

The main drugs for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis

Once bacterial vaginosis has been clinically identified and diagnosed through laboratory tests, treatment of the disease must begin. Otherwise, a prolonged stay of a vaginal infection in the body can lead to very serious complications.

The treatment regimen for bacterial vaginosis consists of several components:

• Nitroimidazole preparations such as metronidazole or ornidazole, the action of which is aimed directly at the extermination of gardnerella, as well as other pathogenic bacteria.
• Bacterial vaginosis is treated with antibiotics.

Most often, this disease is treated with antibiotics from the lincosamide group, the most common of which is clindamycin.

If vaginal dysbacteriosis does not resolve after antibiotics of this group, the main drug should be corrected.

• Any antibacterial treatment of vaginal dysbacteriosis must necessarily include the use of drugs containing a culture of lactobacilli. Despite the fact that the effectiveness of such drugs for vaginosis has not been proven in the course of special clinical studies, they are used very widely. It is believed that the best results are to be expected when these remedies are used vaginally.
• Douches. Antimicrobial douches can also be used as adjuvant therapy to help restore normal vaginal flora.

The treatment of bacterial vaginosis will only be successful with the use of probiotics to restore the microflora of the vagina after taking antibacterial drugs.