Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a mild infection in the vagina. It develops when there’s an imbalance between the “good” bacteria in the vagina that are helpful and the “bad” bacteria that can cause problems.Bacterial vaginosis may cause pain, itching, and bad-smelling discharge. But most girls with BV don’t notice any symptoms and that’s not necessarily a good thing. Symptoms alert us to signs of trouble. BV may be mild, but if it isn’t treated it can lead to other problems. BV is the most common vaginal infection affecting young women.
Epidemiology
BV is the most common infection of the vagina in women of reproductive age. The percentage of women affected at any given time varies between 5% and 70%. BV is most common in parts of Africa, and least common in Asia and Europe. In the United States, about 30% of those between the ages of 14 and 49 are affected. Rates vary considerably between ethnic groups within a country. *NOTE:* BV is not considered STD girl who has never had sex also can get IT.
Causes of bacteria vaginosis
certain things that can upset the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina, raising your risk of BV:
1.Having a new sex partner or multiple sex partners
2.Douching
3.Using an intrauterine device (IUD) for birth control
4.Not using condom
5.Toilet seats
6.Bedding
7.Swimming pools
8.Touching objects around you
Symptoms of bacterial vaginosis
The symptoms of BV may differ from patient to patient and according to the stage of the infection.
1. Vaginal Discharge: This is the most common and the first symptom to appear in infected women. The vaginal discharge ranges in consistency and color over time. It can look watery and whitish or thick and yellow. The discharge is very distinctive from normal vaginal discharge. It will also smell foul and putrid with a strong note of ammonia.
2. Itching:This is another common symptom of BV which occurs in most women. The patient will complain of itching in the vaginal area. This is especially experienced in the inner walls of the vagina and the clitoris. It is best to avoid scratching as much as possible. This is because scratching the area will aggravate the itching even more. Ans sometimes even lead to bleeding.
3. Spotting: This is not seen very often but some women do complain of it. Light spotting may occur when the infection is more advanced. Bleeding may also occur when the area is irritated due to scratching or intercourse.
4. *Discomfort during sexual intercourse:* ths happens because the region is already injured by the infection. Further friction due to sex will aggravate the discomfort even more. Some women find sex painful during infection while others suffer from vaginal dryness. It is usually advised to abstain from sex until the patient is free
5. Discomfort: This is an obvious symptom of any infection. The patient will feel uncomfortable in the vaginal area because the skin is irritated by the bacterial activity. Some women say that they feel a peculiar discomfort while sitting or wearing very tight underclothes.
Some also say that the area feels very dry and scratchy internally. The infection may also cause slight inflammation of the vaginal walls which can cause undesirable symptoms like tenderness and sensitivity.
Complications of Bacterial Vaginosis
Most of the time, BV goes away without any complications when properly treated. But if it’s not treated, BV can increase a girl’s chances of certain health problems:
1.Increased chance of getting an STD: Girls with BV are more likely to get STDs like herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV.
2.Increased chance of pregnancy complications: When BV isn’t treated; a woman may have more problems when she gets pregnant, such as premature birth, low birth weight, infection
Complications of Bacterial Vaginosis
Most of the time, BV goes away without any complications when properly treated. But if it’s not treated, BV can increase a girl’s chances of certain health problems
Prevention of BV
BV is not completely understood by scientists, and the best ways to prevent it are unknown.The following basic prevention steps can help reduce the risk of upsetting the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina and developing BV:
1.Be abstinent
2.Limit the number of sex partners
3. Do not douche
4.Use all of the medicine prescribed for the treatment of BV, even if the signs and symptoms go away.
Toilet seats, bedding or touching things around you will not cause an bacterial I fe tons. Sex does, men who are infected and not clean do, same with bladder infections.
Perhaps an autoimmune disease can or chemotherapy..