PREVALENCIA DE MICROORGANISMOS ASOCIADOS A INFECCIONES VAGINALES EN 230 MUJERES GESTANTES Y NO GESTANTES SINTOMÁTICAS DEL CENTRO DE SALUD LA MILAGROSA EN EL MUNICIPIO DE ARMENIA (COLOMBIA).

Objective: determining the prevalence of infectious agents responsible for vaginal infections in symptomatic women at La Milagrosa primary health center in Armenia (Quindío, Colombia), between November and December 2007 and January 2008. Materials and methods: a cross sectional study was carried out on 230 patients who consulted for vaginal discharge and symptoms. A sample of vaginal discharge was obtained from each patient. Each sample was analysed for pH, amines test, identification of clue cells containing bacteria as an indicator for Gardnerella infection, Trichomonas vaginalis and the presence of hifae or yeasts. All samples were also cultured on blood agar, Sabouraud and Mac Conckey media and Gram stained. The data was organised on an Excel spreadsheet and analysed using Epi Info software (version 6). Results: Gardnerella had the highest infectious agent prevalence (39%), followed by Candida spp (6.5%) and Trichomonas vaginalis (5.7%). Conclusions: Symptomatic patients with vaginal fluid presented a higher prevalence of bacterial vaginosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]