Pap Smears in the Diagnosis of Bacterial Vaginosis.

ABSTRACT

Pap smears are routinely used in cervical cancer screening. The purpose of our study was to determine whether the Pap smear is of diagnostic value for the detection of bacterial vaginosis using vaginal gram stain as the diagnostic standard. We studied 636 non-pregnant, married women attending the Gynecology OPD of Rama Medical College, Ghaziabad, for routine genital examination between Sep 2011 and Sep 2012. Two vaginal smears were prepared, one of which was stained by the pap method and the second by the Gram’s method. Using Gram stain diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis as the gold standard, pap smear had a sensitivity of 61.0% and a specificity of 97.6%, PPV of 85.7% and NPV of 91.6%in the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis. Hence, although pap smear is only moderately sensitive for screening of bacterial vaginosis, because of its high specificity, it is of diagnostic value when it is positive.