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. 1997 Sep;35(9):2408–2409. doi: 10.1128/jcm.35.9.2408-2409.1997

Tampon sampling for diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis: a potentially useful way to detect genital infections?

D Wilkinson 1, N Ndovela 1, A Kharsany 1, C Connolly 1, A W Sturm 1
PMCID: PMC229978  PMID: 9276426

Abstract

Genital tract infections are important causes of ill health in developing countries, but diagnosis is difficult. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) was correctly diagnosed by using a vaginal specimen obtained by tampon sampling in 22 of 24 women (91.6%) for whom BV was diagnosed by Gram staining. The yield for other vaginal infections was higher (28% for Trichomonas vaginalis and 32.7% for Candida albicans) than it was for cervical infections (0% for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and 30% for Chlamydia trachomatis). Tampon sampling was acceptable to patients and may facilitate diagnosis of genital infections in developing countries.

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Selected References

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