Prevalence of Bacterial Vaginosis among Patients with Vulvovaginitis in a Tertiary Hospital in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is one of the three common causes of vulvovaginitis in women of child bearing age, usually resulting from alteration the normal vaginal microbiota and PH. Common clinical presentation includes abnormal vaginal discharge, pruritus, dysuria and dyspareunia.

Aims: To determine the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis among symptomatic women of child bearing age that attended various outpatient clinics in the university of Port Harcourt teaching Hospital.

Methods: Two hundred (200) women with vulvovaginitis who attended various clinics in the hospital were recruited for a cross sectional study using the Nugent scoring system for bacterial vaginosis after obtaining their consents. Questionnaires were used to obtain their demographic information and common presenting symptoms.

Results: One hundred and two (102) of the patients had bacterial vaginosis with a prevalence of 51%. The commonest affected age group is between 26-30 years. The most common presenting symptom was vaginal discharge (50%). Majority of the patients were undergraduates and so had secondary education.

Conclusion: Bacterial vaginosis is the commonest cause of vulvovaginitis especially among the sexually active age groups and such should be considered top among other causes of similar sign and symptoms especially in cases of syndromic management.