July 4, 2017 – Three Common Causes

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Anchor lead: A new test can identify the most common causes of vaginitis, Elizabeth Tracey reports

Vaginitis is a big problem for many women, affecting them throughout their lifetime, and is most often the result of a disruption in normal bacteria flora. Now a new FDA approved test developed by Charlotte Gaydos, an expert in sexually transmitted diseases at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues, can help make an accurate diagnosis in a timely fashion.

Gaydos: We recently published a paper about a new diagnostic procedure that can actually detect the three most common causes of vaginitis in women. Vaginitis is a syndrome that many women are bothered with. It probably accounts for more visits to doctors offices than any other female visit to doctors. The new assay can detect with one vaginal swab, which could be collected by the woman herself, the three most common causes. :30

Gaydos says once the results are obtained, treatment should be straightforward. Since the test relies on molecular analysis she suspects real world data will show it to be more accurate than many current methods. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.