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Diagnostic and therapeutic advancements for aerobic vaginitis

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Abstract

Background

Aerobic vaginitis (AV) is a newly defined clinical entity that is distinct from candidiasis, trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis (BV). Because of the poor recognition of AV, this condition can lead to treatment failures and is associated with severe complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, preterm birth and foetal infections.

Objective

This review describes the diagnosis and treatment of AV and the relationship between AV and pregnancy.

Results

The characteristics of AV include severely depressed levels of lactobacilli, increased levels of aerobic bacteria and an inflamed vagina. The diagnosis is made by microscopy on wet mounts of fresh vaginal fluid, and some distinct clinical features are recognized. Vaginal suppositories that contain kanamycin or clindamycin have shown curative effects in nonpregnant women. Additionally, the application of topical probiotics can restore the vaginal flora and reduce the recurrence of AV. Clindamycin vaginal suppositories and probiotics may be a better choice for gravida with AV than metronidazole. AV requires prompt attention, and the early diagnosis and treatment of AV during pregnancy significantly improves perinatal outcomes.

Conclusion

Further research is needed to define the pathogenesis, diagnostic criteria and standard treatment guidelines for AV.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Natural Science Fund of China (No. 81471419) and partially supported by grants from the Science Foundation of Tianjin (2013ky01).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People’s Republic of China

    Cha Han, Wenjuan Wu, Aiping Fan, Yingmei Wang, Huiying Zhang, Zanjun Chu, Chen Wang & Fengxia Xue

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  1. Cha Han
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  2. Wenjuan Wu
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  3. Aiping Fan
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  7. Chen Wang
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  8. Fengxia Xue
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Correspondence to Fengxia Xue.

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Han, C., Wu, W., Fan, A. et al. Diagnostic and therapeutic advancements for aerobic vaginitis. Arch Gynecol Obstet 291, 251–257 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-014-3525-9

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