OBJECTIVES: To examine variability in bacterial vaginosis (BV) over 6- to 12-month intervals. STUDY DESIGN: One thousand one hundred ninety-three women were followed for a median of 3 years with serial vaginal swab Gram stains for BV. Discrete time hazard models were fit to identify independent risk factors for BV. RESULTS: Women with BV at study entry were categorized as having normal flora at the next visit 20% of the time, and women with normal flora at study entry were categorized as having BV at the next visit 20% of the time. Among women with initially normal flora, factors associated with BV were black race, lower education, a history of BV, a history of chlamydial/gonococcal cervicitis, and lack of monogamy. CONCLUSION: About one fifth of women with normal flora develop BV over a given 6- to 12-month interval, and the modifiable risk factors of cervicitis and lack of monogamy contribute to the development of BV.
OBJECTIVES: To examine variability in bacterial vaginosis (BV) over 6- to 12-month intervals. STUDY DESIGN: One thousand one hundred ninety-three women were followed for a median of 3 years with serial vaginal swab Gram stains for BV. Discrete time hazard models were fit to identify independent risk factors for BV. RESULTS:Women with BV at study entry were categorized as having normal flora at the next visit 20% of the time, and women with normal flora at study entry were categorized as having BV at the next visit 20% of the time. Among women with initially normal flora, factors associated with BV were black race, lower education, a history of BV, a history of chlamydial/gonococcal cervicitis, and lack of monogamy. CONCLUSION: About one fifth of women with normal flora develop BV over a given 6- to 12-month interval, and the modifiable risk factors of cervicitis and lack of monogamy contribute to the development of BV.
Authors: R Scott McClelland; Barbra A Richardson; Susan M Graham; Linnet N Masese; Ruth Gitau; Ludo Lavreys; Kishorchandra Mandaliya; Walter Jaoko; Jared M Baeten; Jeckoniah O Ndinya-Achola Journal: Sex Transm Dis Date: 2008-06 Impact factor: 2.830