How is BV diagnosed?

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Diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis

Any woman who thinks she may have BV (or other vaginal infection) should see a doctor for an accurate diagnosis, which will ensure she gets the most targeted, effective treatment.

The first step in diagnosing a BV infection is a physical exam. Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms, perform a pelvic exam to look for signs of BV, and take a sample of vaginal fluid for clinical testing.

A specific set of clinical criteria known as "Amsel's criteria" is used to definitively diagnose BV. If 3 of these 4 criteria are found to be present, a BV diagnosis is confirmed:1,2

  • Abnormal gray discharge
  • Vaginal pH greater than 4.5
  • A positive test for amine ("fishy") odor
  • Microscopic identification of epithelial cells with more than 20% appearing as "clue" cells (cell margins obscured by bacteria)

Your doctor may also need to perform additional clinical tests to rule out infection with other organisms (such as Trichomonas vaginalis, which causes trichomoniasis), since the symptoms of some vaginal infections may be similar.

Some women have BV but do not experience symptoms. If you think you may be at risk, it is important to be tested and treated.3

According to the Centers for Disease Control, untreated BV may increase a woman's susceptibility to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV.

  1. Vaginitis. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 72. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Obstet Gynecol. 2006;107:1195-206.
  2. Beers MH, Berkow R, eds. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. 17th ed. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories;1999:1254-8.
  3. Sweet RL. Gynecologic conditions and bacterial vaginosis: implications for the non-pregnant patient. Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol. 2000;8(3-4):184-90.

About Bacterial Vaginosis

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Only Tindamax® is approved to treat both bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis (TV).

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