- Alkali A.Y.1*, Yusuf Garba2 Asma’u L.B.3
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is one of the commonest vaginal infections among women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Early diagnosis is important because untreated BV may result in infertility, chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, and recurrent reproductive infections, the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis, identify associated risk factors, and characterize bacterial isolates among women diagnosed with pelvic inflammatory disease attending General Hospital Gusau, Zamfara State. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 125 women diagnosed with PID. Vaginal swab specimens were collected and examined using vaginal pH determination, wet mount microscopy, Gram staining with Nugent scoring, and bacterial culture. Demographic and behavioral data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Chi-square analysis was used to determine associations, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis was 62.4% (78/125). Age was not significantly associated with BV (χ² = 6.085, p = 0.077). However, multiple sexual partners (χ² = 7.20, p = 0.007) and vaginal douching (χ² = 8.50, p = 0.004) were significantly associated with BV. Gardnerella vaginalis was the predominant bacterial isolate (64%), followed by Mobiluncus spp. (16%), Mycoplasma hominis (8%), and mixed bacterial flora (12%). Behavioral practices, particularly multiple sexual partners and vaginal douching, significantly increase the risk of infection. Routine laboratory diagnosis and health education should be integrated into reproductive healthcare services to reduce BV-related complications.
Keywords: Bacterial vaginosis, Pelvic inflammatory disease, Gardnerella vaginalis, Vaginal douching, Nigeria, Women’s reproductive health.