Management of vaginal discharge : main article

Vaginal discharges are a common problem in adult women. The discharges may be physiological or pathological. The common pathological causes are due to infection occurring in the cervix (cervicitis) or in the vagina (vaginitis and vaginosis). The common causes of endocervicitis are the sexually transmitted pathogens of Neisseria gonorrhoeael/Ig and Chlamydia trachomatis . The important causes of vaginal infection are trichomoniasis due to Trichomonas vaginalis , candidiasis due to Candida albicansl/Ig and bacterial vaginosis due to proliferation of endogenous vaginal flora of Gardnerella vaginalis , anaerobes and Mycoplasma hominis . Bedside tests of pH determination, whiff test and wet smear microscopy can easily diagnose vaginal infection. Laboratory tests are required to confirm the causes of endocervicitis or mucopurulent cervicitis (MPC). Syndromic management of vaginal discharge attempts to treat both cervical and vaginal causes. Syndromic management is widely acclaimed for use in developing communities as it covers the common causes of infection at the point of first contact.