Prevalence of different types of vaginitis in Pap-smear samples from the Women’s Clinic of Firouzabadi Hospital in Tehran 2019 to 2021

TL;DR

This study analyzed Pap-smear samples to determine the prevalence of different types of vaginitis among women in Tehran from 2019 to 2021.

Contribution

The study provides new prevalence data on bacterial, candidiasis, and trichomonas-related vaginitis using Pap-smear samples in Iran.

Findings

Bacterial vaginitis was the most common type, affecting 54.5% of the cases.

Candidiasis vaginitis was the second most frequent, while Trichomonas vaginalis was the least common.

Pap smears were found to be a useful diagnostic tool for identifying and categorizing vaginitis types.

Abstract

Vaginitis is one of the most common causes of referrals to gynecologists and obstetricians. It is characterized by symptoms such as itching, vaginal discharge, and redness. The three main causes of vaginitis are bacteria, various species of yeast and the protozoan Trichomonas (T.) vaginalis. Candida albicans has been considered as the main cause of vulvovaginitis in different regions of the world. The most common types of anaerobic bacteria in bacterial vaginitis are Gardnerella vaginalis, Bacteroidetes, Prevotella and Peptostreptococcus spp. In Iran to date, few population-based studies have been conducted in relation to vaginitis. As Pap-smear studies are conducted for investigating tissue changes in order to diagnose malignancy, these clinical tests are also appropriate sources for the evaluation of vaginitis. This is a cross-sectional, retrospective study to investigate different types of vaginitis based on its causative agent, and to examine its complications.

All female patients between the ages of 21 and 75 who were referred to the Women’s Clinic of Firozabadi Hospital during the years 2019 to 2021 were included in this study. Demographic information, including age and sex, as well as information related to the type of infection, the degree of inflammation, the presence or absence of squamous metaplasia, and the presence or absence of vaginal atrophy, were extracted from the patient files in the archives of Firozabadi Hospital.

Out of the 2050 people studied, 165 (12.4%) had a positive Pap smear to diagnose vaginitis. The average age of the studied patients was 43. ±9.9 years; the age range was 21 to 72 years. Bacterial vaginitis (BV) was the most prevalent type (54.5%), the second-most frequent type was candidiasis vaginitis, and the least frequent type was caused by T. vaginalis.

The high prevalence of BV indicates that vaginitis is a major problem in the clinic. The use of Pap smear is not only a useful indicator in cytology to detect premalignant changes, but it can also be a useful and practical method in diagnosing the type of vaginitis. Furthermore, Pap smears as a diagnostic method for vaginitis can help provide correct treatment, design prevention programs, strengthen the immune system, and prevent multiple vaginal flora changes.

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