Identify Your Vaginal Issue: BV, AV, Trich, Yeast Compared

Compare your symptoms in this easy table to quickly see what you might need to be tested for.

	Bacterial vaginosis	Aerobic vaginitis	Mixed/disturbed vaginal flora	Yeast Infection	Trichomoniasis
Bacteria	Anaerobic bacteria e.g. Gardnerella(facultative anaerobic), Atopobium, Prevotella, Mobiluncus, etc.	Aerobic bacteria, e.g. Staphylococci, Streptococci, E. coli, E. faecalis, etc.	Anaerobic and/or aerobic bacteria and/or Candida	C. albicans (80–90 %) C. glabrata (2–5 %) C. krusei (1-2 %)	Trichomonas vaginalis
Symptoms	Greyish-white, thin, homogeneous discharge, fishy smell	Persistent yellow-greenish discharge, burning	Increased persistent yellowish thin discharge, burning or itching possible	Itching, burning, dyspareunia, yellowish white “cottage cheese” discharge	Foamy, thin, green yellowish discharge, dysuria, itching, burning
Inflammation?	No redness, no inflammation	Redness, inflammation	Redness and inflammation possible	Redness, inflammation	Irregular spotted redness, local bleeding especially after intercourse
pH	>4.5	>5.0	>4.5	<4.5	≥5.0
Lactobacilli	Lactobacilli reduced/not present	Lactobacilli reduced/not present	Lactobacilli reduced/not present	Lactobacilli normal or reduced	Lactobacilli normal or reduced
Leucocytes	Leucocytes normal	Leucocytes strongly increased, toxic	Leucocytes possibly increased	Leucocytes normal or increased	Leucocytes increased
Pathogens	Adherent gram-negative rods, etc.	Coliform bacteria, B-streptococci	Various	Candida pseudo hyphae and/or blastospores	Trichomonas vaginalis
Culture	Not suitable for diagnosis, low specificity	Limited value	Limited value	Useful, particularly for recurrent VVC	Possible, specific
PCR Testing	Useful	Useful	Useful	Culture is enough, but useful in broader testing	Culture is enough, but useful if necessary
Diagnosis	3 of 4 Amsel criteria positive or Nugent score 7–10	Symptoms and signs, microscopy or AV-score	Presence of multiple clinical findings	Symptoms and signs, evidence of candida	Symptoms and signs, evidence of T. vaginalis
Brief treatment overview	Biofilm treatments, antimicrobial treatments Oral or vaginal antibiotics e.g., metronidazole, clindamycin, and dequalinium chloride Restoration of the vaginal ecosystem.	Antimicrobial treatments, possible antibiofilm treatments Broad spectrum antiinfective, e.g., dequalinium chloride Corticosteroids Restoration of the vaginal ecosystem	Antimicrobial treatments, possible antibiofilm treatments Broad spectrum antiinfective, e.g., dequalinium chloride Restoration of the vaginal ecosystem	Antifungal treatments, possible antibiofilm treatments in gut and vagina, intestine treatments Oral or local antimycotic, e.g., clotrimazole, fluconazole, nystatin, dequalinium chloride Restoration of the vaginal ecosystem	Oral antiinfectives (e.g., metronidazole), partner treatment Restoration of the vaginal ecosystem