Vaginitis – Signs and Symptoms
An information sheet on vaginitis

Vaginitis is medically defined as an irritation and/or inflammation of the vagina. Vaginitis is a very common disease affecting millions of women each year and the three most common vaginal infections are bacterial vaginosis, candida vaginitis (commonly known as a yeast infection) and trichomonas vaginitis.
What are the symptoms of vaginitis?
Vaginal infections can produce a variety of symptoms including irritation, painful urination, abnormal or increased discharge, itching, fishy odor, or vaginal bleeding. When you have vaginitis you might experience all or some of these symptoms. If you have any of these symptoms, discuss them with your doctor or nurse so you can be diagnosed.
What causes vaginitis?
Vaginitis is caused by a variety of factors; it may result from bacterial infections, fungal infection, protozoan infection, contact dermatitis or even an allergic reaction. Vaginitis affects millions of women. Trichomonas is sexually transmitted, but other vaginitis infections are not usually sexually transmitted.
What is the difference between the three types of vaginitis?
Yeast - the infection is called candidiasis and is caused by a fungus. It is the second most common type of vaginitis.
Protozoan – the infection is called trichomoniasis and it is considered a sexually transmitted disease. It is the least common of the three and comprises 3 percent to 5 percent of all vaginitis infections.
Bacterial – the infection, known as bacterial vaginosis, is caused when healthy vaginal organisms are replaced by harmful bacteria. This is the most common type of vaginitis.
What causes bacterial vaginosis?
When the natural balance of organisms in the vagina is changed, bacterial vaginosis may occur. The healthy vagina normally contains a variety of bacteria including one type of bacteria, Lactobacillus, that keeps the vagina slightly acidic to reduce the growth of potentially harmful organisms. When these bacteria are replaced with different kinds of “bad” bacteria, called anaerobic bacteria, an unpleasant vaginal odor develops and an infection may occur.
Are there any complications associated with vaginitis?
Bacterial vaginosis might cause various complications and if left untreated, bacterial vaginosis may result in increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, pre-term birth, premature rupture of membranes, low birth weight, intra-amniotic infections, endometritis, cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia, post-gynecological surgery infections and increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases.
How will my doctor be able to arrive at a diagnosis?
Your doctor will typically examine your vagina in the office using a simple test and use a swab to get a sample of the discharge. Vaginitis can be identified by checking vaginal fluid appearance, vaginal pH, the presence of volatile amines, and the microscopic detection of certain cells. New tests are now available to aid the physician in his or her diagnosis.