Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0348321 (Haemophilus)
 15,372 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The clinical significance, Gram stain reaction, and genus affiliation of Gardnerella vaginalis have been controversial since Gardner and Dukes described the organism as the cause of "nonspecific vaginitis," a common disease of women which is now called bacterial vaginosis. The organism was named G. vaginalis when taxonomic studies showed that it was unrelated to bacteria in various genera including Haemophilus and Corynebacterium. Electron microscopy and chemical analyses have elucidated the organism's gram-variable reaction. Controversy over the etiology of bacterial vaginosis was largely resolved by (i) studies using improved media and methods for the isolation and identification of bacteria in vaginal fluids and (ii) standardization of criteria for clinical and laboratory diagnosis. Besides G. vaginalis, Mobiluncus spp., Mycoplasma hominis, and certain obligate anaerobes are now acknowledged as participants in bacterial vaginosis. The finding that G. vaginalis, Mobiluncus spp., and M. hominis inhabit the rectum indicates a potential source of autoinfection in addition to sexual transmission. Extravaginal infections with G. vaginalis are increasingly recognized, especially when the toxic anticoagulant polyanetholesulfonate is omitted from blood cultures and when urine cultures are incubated anaerobically for 48 h. The finding that mares harbor G. vaginalis suggests that an equine model can be developed for studies of Gardnerella pathogenesis.
 ...
PMID:Gardnerella vaginalis: characteristics, clinical considerations, and controversies. 149 65

The bacterial flora associated with certain common abnormalities of the female genital tract were studied. The abnormalities included were trichomonal infestation of the vagina, the epithelial inflammation and cellular atypia associated with protozoal infestation, and erosions of the cervix. Trichomonas vaginalis infestation and marked epithelial inflammation were associated with a very varied bacterial flora in which Mycoplasma species, streptococci, and ;Haemophilus vaginalis' (Gardner and Dukes, 1955) were often prominent. No cases of vaginitis attributable to Haemophilus vaginalis were detected. An essentially normal bacterial flora accompanied erosions of the cervix.
 ...
PMID:Bacterial flora in abnormalities of the female genital tract. 591 54

Almost 30 years ago Gardner & Dukes introduced the term Haemophilus vaginalis vaginitis. Most authors agree that this disease entity is characterized by a malodorous, homogeneous, greyish-white discharge, displaying clue cells in the wet-mount preparation. The diagnosis can be made in the office, the microscope being the most important diagnostic tool. There still seems to be some controversy regarding cause and clinical manifestations of the condition. A lack of uniformity in case definition and laboratory methods is probably responsible. The use of the term non-specific vaginitis should be discouraged, the condition being a specific entity not accompanied by vaginitis. A new term, 'clue cell-positive discharge' (CCPD), is proposed.
 ...
PMID:Clinical aspects of Gardnerella vaginalis-associated vaginitis. A review of the literature. 633 30

The review of the treatment of bacterial vaginosis parallels the history of this syndrome. Before the syndrome was defined, treatment was local and nonspecific. Gardner and Dukes defined nonspecific vaginitis in 1955 as an infection caused by Haemophilus vaginalis. Therapy was directed toward this aerobic "pathogen" and included oral tetracycline and a triple sulfa vaginal cream. Subsequent studies indicated success with this regimen as well as with ampicillin, a drug with good aerobic activity. Since 1977, studies have shown the importance of anaerobes in this clinical syndrome. Both metronidazole and clindamycin have been found to have clinical success. The clinical definition of the disease makes evaluation of treatment difficult, because it includes women without symptoms.
 ...
PMID:Historical review of the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. 835 49