PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS AMONG YOUNG WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN MYSORE, INDIA

Purpose: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common cause of abnormal vaginal discharge among women of childbearing age and is associated with STI/HIV and adverse birth outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and correlates of BV among young women of reproductive age in Mysore, India. Methods: Between October 2005 and December 2006, 898 sexually active women of 15-30 years of age were enrolled from two reproductive health clinics in Mysore. The women underwent an interview followed by physical examination, HSV-2 serologic testing, endocervical culture for Neisseria gonorrhoeae , and vaginal swabs for diagnosis of BV, Trichomonas vaginalis infection and candidiasis. Statistical analyses included conventional descriptive statistics and multivariable analysis using logistic regression. Results: Of the 898 women, 391 (43.5) were diagnosed with 1 endogenous reproductive tract infection and 157 (17.4) with 1 sexually transmitted infection. Only 863 women had Gram-stained vaginal smears available, out of which 165 (19.1, 95 confidence interval [CI]: 16.3-22.2) were found to have BV and 133 (15.4, 95 CI: 12.9-18.3) were in the intermediate stage. BV was related to concurrent infections with T. vaginalis (odds ratio [OR] = 4.07, 95 CI: 2.45-6.72) and HSV-2 seropositivity (OR = 2.22, 95 CI: 1.39-3.53). Conclusions: In this population, the prevalence of BV at 19 was relatively low. Coinfection with T. vaginalis , however, was common. BV was independently associated with concurrent T. vaginalis infection and partners alcohol use. Muslim women had reduced odds of BV as compared to non-Muslim women. Further research is needed to understand the role of T. vaginalis infection in the pathogenesis of BV and the sociocultural context surrounding the condition in India.