Molecular and Microbiological Characterization of Aerobic Vaginitis Among Women of Reproductive Age in Basrah, Iraq
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56714/bjrs.51.2.18Keywords:
Aerobic vaginitis, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacterial vaginosis, productive-age women, Molecular diagnosisAbstract
This study assessed the microbial and molecular aspects of aerobic vaginitis (AV) in women of reproductive age who visited Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics in Basrah, Iraq, in 2024. Symptomatic women contributed 100 vaginal swab samples, in addition to 50 control samples. For bacterial characterization, traditional culture and PCR assays for the 16S rRNA gene were applied. Among patients, 93% had positive bacterial infections, which included E. faecalis (36.9%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (19.8%), E. coli (8.5%), and K. pneumoniae (3.4%). Furthermore, the bacterial profile indicated the presence of aerobic vaginitis, which suggested the presence of classic bacterial vaginosis, since it was devoid of anaerobic BV-associated organisms. E. faecalis and coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most predominant bacterial isolates in culture. Most at-risk socio-demographic groups were 16-35 years of age. The results indicate that frequent vaginal douching, past infections, and wrong use of antibiotics are some of the main causes. More educated people seem to be less likely to get sick. The findings recommend a focus on public health education to deter detrimental vaginal hygiene practices and encourage appropriate reproductive care, consequently diminishing the prevalence of vaginal dysbiosis and its related reproductive complications
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