AEROBIC VAGINITIS (AV): DISEASE BURDEN, BACTERIOLOGICAL PROFILE AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN IN WESTERN MAHARASHTRA

Vaginitis is a very common and recurrent infection in reproductive age group especially worrisome in pregnant females. If it is misdiagnosed, left untreated or wrongly treated can lead to serious complications. With this background present study was conducted to determine the prevalence, bacteriological profile and antimicrobial susceptibility of the pathogens causing aerobic vaginitis. Study was conducted over a period of 1year in which 241 vaginal swabs were processed for aerobic culture and gram stain. The organisms were identified and antimicrobial susceptibility was performed by Vitek 2 compact system. Out of 241 samples processed 37(15.4%) showed bacterial growth. S. aureus (40.5%), GBS (13.5%), E. coli (13.5%) and K. pneumoniae (13.5%) were the common pathogens isolated. Gram positive organisms showed highest sensitivity to Vancomycin and Linezolid. All gramnegative bacteria were sensitive to Imipenem and Meropenem. This study recommends the laboratory-based diagnosis of each clinically suspected case of vaginitis for appropriate management of patient. Addition of antibacterial agent in traditional empirical antifungal therapy for vaginitis is need of hour