MICROBIOLOGICAL STUDY OF LEUCORRHOEA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO GARDNERELLA VAGINALIS

Leucorrhoea is one of the commonest complaint among women of reproductive age group. A total number of 130 symptomatic study group, 20 controls and 10 antenatals with bad obstetric history in the age group between 15-45 years attending the Department of Gynaecology & Obstetrics, Government General Hospital, Vijayawada were taken up for Microbiological study. A detailed history was taken and vaginal swabs were collected and processed by standard microbiological techniques to isolate and identify different agents causing Leukorrhoea. Among the study group, women belonging to urban population 98(75.38%), low socio-economic status 82(63.07%) and illiterates 70(53.85%) formed the major group and leucorrhoea was common in the age group 21-30 years. Bacterial isolates were predominant with Gardnerella vaginalis forming major group with 42(32.30%). Candida species isolated was 32(24.61%) and Trichomonas vaginalis 24(18.46%). Other bacterial isolates like Diphtheroids 23%, Coagulase negative Staphylococci 19.23%, Other Streptococci 13.07%, Staph aureus 11.53%, Acenitobacter 6.15%, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella 5.38%, Pseudomonas and Micrococci 3.07% and ? hemolytic Streptococci in 1.53%. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that most of the other bacterial isolates were sensitive to Ciprofloxacin followed by Gentamycin and Erythromycin. Gardnerella vaginalis was more sensitive to Ampicillin(73.33%) followed by Metronidazole (66.66%) Erythromycin (53.33%) and Gentamycin (40%). Microbial infections of lower genital tract which are common in sexually active women in the reproductive age group may lead to adverse birth outcomes during pregnancy. Early and proper laboratory diagnosis and timely treatment of infected women along with sexual partners is essential in everting obstetric emergencies and improves pregnancy outcome.