molecular and morphological prevalence of parasitic, fungal, and bacterial vaginitis in women referred to selected teaching hospitals in alborz province

Vaginitis is a common and increasingly prevalent inflammatory condition in women, characterized by abnormal vaginal discharge, pain, and pruritus. this inflammation typically results from bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infections or disruption of the natural vaginal microbiota. given the rising prevalence of vaginitis and the shifting patterns of causative agents and drug therapies, this study was designed to investigate the prevalence of parasitic, fungal, and bacterial vaginitis among women with suspected symptoms. a total of 121 patients with vaginitis symptoms were enrolled in this study. vaginal secretion samples were collected using two sterile swabs and transported in sterile screw-cap tubes. for parasitic detection, both culture on dorset medium and wet mount preparation were used, followed by microscopic examination. fungal and bacterial agents were identified through direct microscopy and culture on selective media. ultimately, species-level identification of parasites and fungi was confirmed by pcr sequencing. the results indicated that 71.9% of the women were positive for vaginitis. among these, 0.8% had trichomonas vaginalis infection, 34.7% had candida infection, 15.7% had bacterial vaginosis (bv), and 20.7% had mixed candida and bacterial vaginosis. the most prevalent fungal species was candida albicans (33.9%). although lactobacillus was the most frequently identified bacterial genus, the primary pathogenic bacterium associated with bv was streptococcus agalactiae (15.7%). based on the results of this study, candida infections were the most common cause of vaginitis in the study population. furthermore, trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection, demonstrated a low prevalence in this low-risk group. the findings of this study provide valuable insights for guiding preventive and therapeutic measures aimed at promoting women's health. vaginitis is a common and increasingly prevalent inflammatory condition in women, characterized by abnormal vaginal discharge, pain, and pruritus. this inflammation typically results from bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infections or disruption of the natural vaginal microbiota. given the rising prevalence of vaginitis and the shifting patterns of causative agents and drug therapies, this study was designed to investigate the prevalence of parasitic, fungal, and bacterial vaginitis among women with suspected symptoms. a total of 121 patients with vaginitis symptoms were enrolled in this study. vaginal secretion samples were collected using two sterile swabs and transported in sterile screw-cap tubes. for parasitic detection, both culture on dorset medium and wet mount preparation were used, followed by microscopic examination. fungal and bacterial agents were identified through direct microscopy and culture on selective media. ultimately, species-level identification of parasites and fungi was confirmed by pcr sequencing. the results indicated that 71.9% of the women were positive for vaginitis. among these, 0.8% had trichomonas vaginalis infection, 34.7% had candida infection, 15.7% had bacterial vaginosis (bv), and 20.7% had mixed candida and bacterial vaginosis. the most prevalent fungal species was candida albicans (33.9%). although lactobacillus was the most frequently identified bacterial genus, the primary pathogenic bacterium associated with bv was streptococcus agalactiae (15.7%). based on the results of this study, candida infections were the most common cause of vaginitis in the study population. furthermore, trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection, demonstrated a low prevalence in this low-risk group. the findings of this study provide valuable insights for guiding preventive and therapeutic measures aimed at promoting women's health.