Value of Papanicolaou Smear in Detection of Bacterial Vaginosis

Choi, S M; Seo, K; Oh, Y S; Park, J S; Huh, K S; Lee, K

Abstract

This study was undertaken to assess the value of Papanicolaou smear for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis. The study comprised 166 women of childbearing age who were seen for routine gynecologic examination at a health examination center. In all cases a cervical smear was taken. The smear was stained by Papanicolaou methods and examined by an experienced cytologist. Bacterial vaginosis were diagnosed with the presence of clue cells and predominant coccobacilli in Papanicolaou smear. Another smear was taken at lateral vaginal wall of the women. The smear was Gram stained and examined by an experienced microbiologic laboratory technician. Gram stained vaginal smear was scored according to the criteria of Nugent (1991). A diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis was made when the score was 7 or higher. The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis was 19.3%. The Papanicolaou smear detected 12 (37.5%) of 32 women having bacterial vaginosis. The specificity of the Papanicolaou smear detecting bacterial vaginosis was 99.3% (133/134). The result shows that the Papanicolaou smear is insensitive to detect the bacterial vaginosis in the women of childbearing age. However, when clue cells are seen in Papanicolaou smear, the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis will be highly suggested.