Bacterial Vaginosis : An STD or not?

Known to be caused by an overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the vaginal area, bacterial vaginosis (BV) is linked to an imbalance of "good" and "harmful" bacteria that are normally found in a woman's vagina.  It is not clearly defined what the causes of BV are but it is a common knowledge that the risk of acquiring one is closely related to vaginal douching, and hormonal changes during pregnancy. 

Below-the-belt itching, or some may commonly call plainly as vaginal itching, have been a major predicament among teens and women. Bacterial vaginosis may be the most common reason for vaginal itching and is somewhat similar with yeast infection due to vaginal pH change. However, the discharge women experience are more watery and usually odorous. 

Still, the confirmation that BV is a type of sexually transmitted disease remains unsubstantiated. We do know that having a new sex partner or multiple sex partners and douching can upset the balance of bacteria in the vagina and put women at increased risk for getting BV.

STD Conundrum

Various health-related websites have opposing testaments towards BV’s definite category, whether it is a stand-alone bacterial infection or a type of STD. Most sites, including the Planned Parenthood organization, have not incorporated BV in their list of STDs. Whereby, government health agencies such as the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Office of the Women’s Health have placed it in their list along with chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, hepatitis, etc. Since vaginal fluid could be a means of spreading BV, women having sexual affairs with other women have higher risk of acquiring BV.

Most homosexual relationships, specifically women’s, have higher inclination towards the infection since most share adult sex toys, which could easily spread the infection. While these may be true for homosexual relationships, heterosexual affairs can also be a means of transmitting the bacteria. Penises are also known to host a number of bacteria. A known bacteria that causes BV, Gardinella Vaginalis, may also be found in the upper genital tract of a male. The G. Vaginalis could be also cultured from the semen (Elsner P, Hartmann AA, Gardnerella vaginalis in the male upper genital tract: a possible source of reinfection of the female partner). Thus, it is possible that men could spread BV-associated microbes to women during sexual intercourse. 

Exploring BV  

Telltale signs of you having BV is when you already smell the common fishy odor. Some afflictions women also experience are having thin white or gray vaginal discharge, which can be watery or foamy, a burning sensation in the vagina under normal conditions or while urinating, and the distressing itchiness around the vulva. At times, women confuse BV with yeast infection or trichomoniasis. Yeast infection presents the same symptoms but the discharge is thick and almost cottage cheese-like. 

The usual treatment for BV is prescription antibiotics (pills, vaginal creams, or suppositories) and because BV can possibly cause recurrence, women may need to take more than one series of antibiotics.  Normally, men with partners who have BV do not need to be treated. 

equalinium chloride, a new option for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, is one that is highly recommended as it has been proven safe and effective for vaginal infections even for those who are breastfeeding and pregnant women. The dequalinium chloride tablet is inserted at night for 6 days. Relief of bacterial vaginosis symptoms generally occurs within 24—72 hours but it is advisable to finish the full dosage to avoid relapse. It is a non-antibiotic, anti-infective treatment for all vaginal infections. Clinical cure rates at 7 days after treatment were 81.5% in women treated with dequalinium and 78.4% in clindamycin-treated women. 

To sum it all up, BV is not a problem that should be taken lightly. BV can ALSO be transmitted sexually. However, many women can still acquire this even without experiencing sexual intimacy so theoretically, it is still not a sexually transmitted disease. Virgins can also acquire BV, but risk is heightened when they commit to new sexual partner or have multiple ones, which is a known manner in the world of STDs.