Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 1982 May;35(5):550–554. doi: 10.1136/jcp.35.5.550

Comparison of culture and microscopy in the diagnosis of Gardnerella vaginalis infection.

C A Ison, S G Dawson, J Hilton, G W Csonka, C S Easmon
PMCID: PMC497715  PMID: 6979558

Abstract

A comparison was made between human blood agar containing amphotericin B, nalidixic acid and either gentamicin or colistin for the isolation of Gardnerella vaginalis from cases of non-specific vaginitis seen in a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases. The medium containing gentamicin was more inhibitory for non-Gardnerella species, but not sufficiently inhibitory to allow direct plating in the clinic without spreading for single colonies. The diffuse beta haemolysis produced by G vaginalis on human, but not on horse blood agar, proved very useful in differentiating it from other vaginal organisms and was not affected by the antibiotics used. This characteristic, together with Gram stain morphology, oxidase and catalase, provides a simple, reliable methods of identifying G vaginalis. Sixty women with symptoms of vaginitis, in whom no other pathogen was isolated, were examined by culture and microscopy. Gardnerella vaginalis was grown from 45 whereas only 31 had positive microscopy (clue cells or Gram-variable bacilli). There was no significant difference between the rate of isolation of G vaginalis in the group with positive microscopy (25/31) and that with negative microscopy (20/31).

Full text

PDF
550

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bailey R. K., Voss J. L., Smith R. F. Factors affecting isolation and identification of Haemophilus vaginalis (Corynebacterium vaginale). J Clin Microbiol. 1979 Jan;9(1):65–71. doi: 10.1128/jcm.9.1.65-71.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Balsdon M. J., Taylor G. E., Pead L., Maskell R. Corynebacterium vaginale and vaginitis: a controlled trial of treatment. Lancet. 1980 Mar 8;1(8167):501–503. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(80)92762-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Dunkelberg W. E., Jr, Skaggs R., Kellogg D. S., Jr Method for isolation and identification of Corynebacterium vaginale (Haemophilus vaginalis). Appl Microbiol. 1970 Jan;19(1):47–52. doi: 10.1128/am.19.1.47-52.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. GARDNER H. L., DUKES C. D. Haemophilus vaginalis vaginitis: a newly defined specific infection previously classified non-specific vaginitis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1955 May;69(5):962–976. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Greenwood J. R., Pickett M. J., Martin W. J., Mack E. G. Heamophilus vaginalis (Corynebacterium vaginal): method for isolation and rapid biochemical identification. Health Lab Sci. 1977 Apr;14(2):102–106. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Greenwood J. R., Pickett M. J. Salient features of Haemophilus vaginalis. J Clin Microbiol. 1979 Feb;9(2):200–204. doi: 10.1128/jcm.9.2.200-204.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Levison M. E., Corman L. C., Carrington E. R., Kaye D. Quantitative microflora of the vagina. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1977 Jan 1;127(1):80–85. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(77)90318-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Levison M. E., Trestman I., Quach R., Sladowski C., Floro C. N. Quantitative bacteriology of the vaginal flora in vaginitis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1979 Jan 15;133(2):139–144. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(79)90464-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. McCormack W. M., Hayes C. H., Rosner B., Evrard J. R., Crockett V. A., Alpert S., Zinner S. H. Vaginal colonization with Corynebacterium vaginale (Haemophilus vaginalis). J Infect Dis. 1977 Dec;136(6):740–745. doi: 10.1093/infdis/136.6.740. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Pheifer T. A., Forsyth P. S., Durfee M. A., Pollock H. M., Holmes K. K. Nonspecific vaginitis: role of Haemophilus vaginalis and treatment with metronidazole. N Engl J Med. 1978 Jun 29;298(26):1429–1434. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197806292982601. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Smith R. F. Comparison of two media for isolation of haemophilus vaginalis. J Clin Microbiol. 1979 Jun;9(6):729–730. doi: 10.1128/jcm.9.6.729-730.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Smith R. F., Rodgers H. A., Hines P. A., Ray R. M. Comparisons between direct microscopic and cultural methods for recognition of Corynebacterium vaginale in women with vaginitis. J Clin Microbiol. 1977 Mar;5(3):268–272. doi: 10.1128/jcm.5.3.268-272.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Spiegel C. A., Amsel R., Eschenbach D., Schoenknecht F., Holmes K. K. Anaerobic bacteria in nonspecific vaginitis. N Engl J Med. 1980 Sep 11;303(11):601–607. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198009113031102. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Vice J. L., Smaron M. F. Indirect fluorescent-antibody method for the identification of Corynebacterium vaginale. Appl Microbiol. 1973 Jun;25(6):908–916. doi: 10.1128/am.25.6.908-916.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Pathology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES