The CDC has recently updated its sexually transmitted infection diagnosis and treatment guidelines (STIs). The revised guidelines include information on diagnosing and treating bacterial vaginosis (BV) in pregnant and nonpregnant women. BV is vaginal dysbiosis caused due to a high concentration of anaerobic bacteria such as Gardnerella vaginalis , Prevotella species, Mobiluncus species, Atopobium vaginae, and other BV-associated bacteria, thereby replacing the typical hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid-producing Lactobacillus species in the vagina.
Considerations for diagnosis According to the CDC, Amsel's diagnostic criteria or the Nugent score derived from a vaginal Gram stain can be used to diagnose BV. The reference standard for BV diagnosis is the vaginal Gram stain. It is used to determine the concentration of lactobacilli, small gram-negative and gram-variable rods (like G.…
