Vaginitis is an inflammation of the vaginal mucosa and often associated with an irritation or infection of the vulva. Vaginitis maybe asymptomatic, but usually leads to significant vaginal itching and irritation so that the patient self- medicates or seeks professional help. If it is caused by an infectious organism such as Chlamydia, the infection progress throughout the uterus into the fallopian tubes and ovaries and could lead to infertility. An infection via human papillomavirus can eventually increase the risk of cervical carcinoma. The common symptoms of vaginitis are irritation and itching of the genital area, inflammation of the labia majora, labia minora or perineal area, vaginal discharge, foul vaginal odor, discomfort or burning sensation when urinating, pain or irritation with sexual intercourse. While the general symptoms include candida vaginitis or candidiasis, it usually causes a watery, white cottage cheese like vaginal discharge.

The discharge is irritating to the vagina and the surrounding skin. Atrophic vaginitis or senile vaginitis, usually causes scant vaginal discharge with no odor, dry vagina and painful intercourse. These symptoms usually due to decreased hormones usually occurring during and after menopause. Bacterial vaginitis gardnerella, usually causes a discharge with a fish like odor. It is associated with itching and irritation, but no pain during intercourse. Trichomonas vaginalis, can cause a profuse discharge with a fish like odor, pain upon urination, painful intercourse and inflammation of the external genitals. Lastly, herpes. It usually occurs as water blisters on the genital region, about one week after infection. There is tenderness, swollen glands, and fever. The water blisters are extremely painful and heal in about three weeks. However, herpes is usually an external infection and does not fall under the category of vaginitis. The diagnosis of this disease is made with microscopy and culture of the discharge after a careful history and physical examination have been completed. It may be useful to measure the pH value as with infectious vaginal pH increases. Complication includes persistent discomfort, superficial skin infection, gonorrhea and candida infection. The cause of the infection determines the appropriate treatment. It may include oral or topical antibiotic, antifungal creams, antibacterial creams or similar medications. A cream containing cortisone may also be used to relieve some of the irritation. If an allergy is involved, an antihistamine may be prescribed. For women who have an irritation and inflammation caused by low levels of estrogen, a topical estrogen cream might be prescribed.

CANDIDIASIS

Candidiasis is commonly called yeast infection or thrush, is a fungal infection of any of the candida species of which candida albicans in the most common. In immunocompetent people, candidiasis can usually be found in exposed and moist parts of the body such as the oral cavity, the vagina, folds of the skin in the diaper area, and the nipples while breastfeeding. Candidiasis is the second most common cause of vaginal irritation or vaginitis. The most common symptoms include severe itching, burning, soreness, irritation of the vagina and whitish or whitish- gray discharge, often with a curdlike appearance. Medical professionals use two primary methods to diagnose yeast infections, the microscopis examination and culturing. For the microscopic method, a scraping or swab of the affected area is placed on a microscope slide. A single drop of 10% potassium chloride solution is then also placed on the slide. The potassium chloride dissolves the skin cells but leaves the Candida untouched, so that when the slide is viewed under a microscope. Their presence in large numbers strongly suggests a yeast infection.

For culturing method, a sterile swab is rubbed on the infected skin surface. The swab is then rubbed across a culture medium. The medium is incubated for several days, during which time presumptive diagnosis of the organism causing symptoms. It is important to consider candida is part of the human body’s normal oral and intestinal flora and an infection is more a bloom than the work of a parasite, as in case of some bacterial infections. Despite this, candidiasis is sometimes misdiagnosed by medical personnel as bacterial in nature, and treated with antibiotics. This can lead to eliminating the yeast natural competitors for resources and increase the severity of the condition. Prescription medication is often the only solution to an infection. The antufungal drugs commonly used to treat candidiasis are topical clotrimazole, topical nystatin, fluconazole and topical ketoconazole.

In severe infections generally in hospitalized patients, amphotericin B, caspofungin or voriconazole may be used. Local treatment may include suppositories or medicated douches, gentian violet can be used for breastfeeding thrush. Treating candidiasis solely with medication may not give desired results. If medicated, underlying causes should be considered. As candida originates some strategies may be effective during an infection and to control or prevent outbreaks. The fungus requires processed starches as gluten, as well as sugars to thrive. Dairy products and fermented foods may also contribute to its growth. As such avoiding glutens, sugars, dairy products and fermented foods may help to prevent overgrowth of the organism. It is important to remember that sugars include sucrose, fructose, lactose, maltose, dextrose and others including maltodextrin. All these types of sugars may contribute to candidiasis and may give relief if avoided.