Vaginitis and STI

Vaginitis is one of the most common reasons women visit a healthcare provider, and 90% of these infections are caused by either bacteria (bacterial vaginosis (BV), yeast (Candida vaginitis (CV), or the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis (TV)2).

Our understanding of vaginitis—as well as molecular technology—has vastly improved in the last 30 years, and newer, FDA-cleared molecular testing is now available.

Has higher sensitivity and specificity for bacterial vaginosis

Differentiates between Candida glabrataand the Candida species group

Provides superior sensitivity for Trichomonas

High sensitivity (95%-97%)
Specificity (86%-90%)

The global prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is measured at more than 1 million new cases every day, most of which are asymptomatic. Accordingly, there are approximately 374 million new infections each year, which include three of the most common curable STIs: chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis [1]. 

• STI and vaginal health infection testing is not uniform—molecular testing has enabled the simultaneous detection of different pathogens.
• Differentiating viral and/or bacterial infections is essential for selecting the appropriate treatment. 
• Unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics without knowing the pathogen causing the infection can lead to drug resistance.