Gardnerellez treatment in women and men. Symptoms and treatment regimens for gardnerellosis drugs

Gardnerellosis is a disease during which disturbances occur in the genitourinary system in both women and men. The causative agent of this disease is considered to be an aerobic pathogen. In medicine, the considered female disease is called a little differently, namely, bacterial vaginosis. But in each individual case, this disease develops in different ways, affecting various organs of the reproductive system. We will tell you more about this disease below.

Gardnerella is a small microorganism. This organism constantly resides in the female vagina and urinary organs. Therefore, the detection of gardnerella in a smear is not considered an indicator to make a diagnosis of gardnerellosis. As a rule, the diagnosis can be made in cases where clinical symptoms have been detected at the same time.

Gardnerella begin to develop actively after a person decreased local immunity. As a rule, this happens in the following cases:

  • In the presence of concomitant infectious disease
  • During and after taking antibiotics
  • After the use of drugs that lower a person's immunity, for example, glucocorticosteroids
  • Frequent change of sexual partners
  • With diabetes
  • If a person is very fond of sweets

Gardnerella can be transmitted during sexual intercourse. But the disease can develop only after the failure of dysbiosis in the genital tract and their loss of beneficial microflora, which loses its own protective function.

Symptoms in women:

Approximately 1/4 of all girls and women are considered carriers of this disease. At the same time, the disease itself may not develop in them, since these carriers have an ideal tension of the immune system.

The rest of the women experience certain clinical symptoms. The main ones are:

  • From the vagina intermittent discharge of a watery discharge that has a grayish-white color
  • These secretions have an unpleasant odor that often smells like rotten fish.

  • During the examination, the doctor may notice how these secretions are evenly distributed over the entire surface of the vagina.

Gardnerella very often provoke the occurrence of other infectious diseases. These bacteria excite endometritis that develops after childbirth or after an abortion.

Symptoms in men:

The disease is characterized by slightly different symptoms than in women. Often bacteria provoke the occurrence of chronic urethritis or chronic prostatitis.

Sometimes these microorganisms can cause balanoposthitis. All these forms of manifestation of the disease have certain symptoms.

  • Discharge has an unpleasant fishy odor
  • The discharge itself is viscous and sticky
  • The head of the male organ becomes very sensitive, it acquires a reddish tint

With a pronounced failure of the immune system, the disease will certainly begin to progress. It can even lead to damage to the organs of the genitourinary system.

Treatment of gardnerellosis in women and men

If timely diagnosis and qualified therapy were carried out, there is a chance for a complete recovery and prevention of complications. It is possible that after treatment a relapse may occur.

Thanks to therapy, it is possible to eliminate all the causes of the onset of the disease and its symptoms. Plus, you can normalize the state of the microflora of the woman's vagina.

  • At the initial stage, doctors conduct antibiotic therapy. They reduce the acid-base level.
  • Depending on the indications, doctors may prescribe an immunomodulator, estrogen, a drug that has an antihistamine effect. During unpleasant symptoms, an anesthetic is prescribed to the patient.
  • The next therapeutic stage of treatment is the restoration of microflora in the vagina. A few days after the antimicrobial treatment ends, the patient is prescribed eubiotics.
  • Since treatment is considered complex, it is strictly forbidden to exclude at least one of the possible stages.

The therapeutic course itself is controlled with the help of laboratories and research. It will end after absolutely all the symptoms have been destroyed, the patient will stop complaining, and his tests will show normal indicators.

Treatment of the disease in men requires an integrated approach. During it, activities are carried out that destroy the pathogen and increase the immune system at the same time.

This disease needs immediate treatment, requiring preventive measures of a medical and domestic nature.

Gardnerellosis treatment: drugs

The main treatment of gardnerellosis, as a rule, is carried out with the help of drugs, which include the active substance metronidazole. The drug can be applied topically (gels, suppositories) or orally (using tablets).

  • Due to their own effect against strong anaerobic microorganisms, the following drugs are considered the most effective drugs: "Metronidazole" and "Klion".
  • In addition, doctors often prescribe drugs that contain doxycycline, clindamycin, levofloxacin, azithromycin.
  • Since antibiotics can often cause fungal infections, to prevent them, it is necessary to use the following drugs: Flucostat, Pimafucin.
  • During treatment, it is recommended that women use medications that normalize the vaginal microflora. For example, "Vagilak" or "Acilact".

The treatment of pregnant women practically does not differ from the treatment of ordinary women. But still there are slight differences. For example, metronidazole is forbidden to use in the first three months of pregnancy. In addition, it is desirable to use drugs that have a local effect, but not oral.

You should know that the human immune system cannot comprehensively fight the disease. Therefore, there is every chance of contracting this disease even during treatment. That is why doctors advise using condoms during therapy or generally refraining from intimacy for a while.

If a condom breaks during intercourse, you need to conduct thorough hygiene and use a local antiseptic, for example, Miramistin.

Gardnerellosis: suppositories for treatment

Gardnerellosis occurs in women, as a rule, in the following cases:

  • after prolonged use of drugs, antibiotics
  • after frequent douching
  • and also among those representatives who use spermicides

Such situations greatly disrupt the microflora of the vagina and spread pathogenic bacteria in it. Very often, turning to the doctor with a complaint of itching and strong discharge, women describe the medicines that they have already used during the treatment of thrush. After all, the symptoms of this disease are very similar to the symptoms of gardnerellosis. However, this disease is more common than candidiasis. Yes, they have different treatments.

During treatment, mainly special tablets are used. But there are also candles, which include the same components.

The required dose and time of the treatment period with such drugs is prescribed only by the attending doctor. You should never treat yourself. There are situations when after the first course the patient is not completely cured. If this happens, the doctor prescribes a second course. However, he corrects it.

The most common suppositories that are prescribed during the treatment of the disease are:

  • "Metronidazole-candles"
  • "Metrovagin"

During therapy, it is important to consider the following point: these drugs cannot be combined with alcoholic beverages.

Chronic gardnerellosis: treatment

Chronic gardnerellosis is an infectious disease that does not carry inflammatory changes, but develops the development of dysbiosis in the vagina. This disease is considered the result of a decrease in the number of Dederlein sticks. It also develops due to pathogenic microbes.

Chronic gardnerellosis in a woman can develop for several reasons:

  • The patient does not take care of her own health
  • She does not visit a gynecologist in a timely manner
  • The patient hides complaints during a visit to the doctor
  • The disease develops and becomes chronic due to improper treatment.
  • Due to non-compliance with the doctor's advice
  • The treatment does not involve the woman's sexual partner

During the treatment of the chronic form of the disease, a combination of several drug options and their administration are used.

  • Systemic treatment: the drug is taken intravenously or through the oral cavity
  • Local treatment: creams or gels are used, which contain metronidazole, as well as suppositories

After the end of the treatment course, a smear is taken from the patient in order to evaluate the effectiveness of repeated therapy. If during such treatment you strictly follow all the doctor's instructions, take the right medications, then the course itself will be no more than 7 days. The doctor may also prescribe an immunomodulator and vitamins that will strengthen the protective qualities of the human body.

Gardnerellosis: treatment with folk remedies

This disease at home can be cured with the help of medicinal herbs and plants. Medicines are very easy to prepare. After them, a positive result appears quite quickly. If this problem has affected you, you can use one of our recipes.

First recipe.

  • Medicinal chamomile - 200 g
  • Sage - 200 g
  • Calendula - 200 g

Cooking process:

  • Mix all ingredients
  • Fill them with water (2 l). Boil over low heat and boil for 30 minutes
  • Cool the finished composition
  • Use a douche


Second recipe. For this recipe, stock up on the following ingredients:

  • Dry medicinal chamomile - 50 g
  • Boiling water - 500 ml

Cooking process:

  • Soak chamomile in boiling water
  • Set the mixture aside for about an hour.
  • Strain
  • Use for douching

Recipe three:

  • If you have gardnerellosis, try using oak bark
  • To do this, take 100 g of raw materials, pour boiling water over it (500 ml)
  • Boil the composition for about 30 minutes, then strain
  • For douching, take 250 ml of the product
  • Douche them 2 times a day

Recipe four. For this recipe, stock up on the following ingredients:

  • Elecampane root - 50 g
  • Wormwood - 30 g
  • Licorice roots - 30 g
  • Raspberry leaves - 30 g

Cooking process:

  • Mix all ingredients
  • Steam them with boiling water (1 l)
  • Set aside for 9 hours
  • Use the resulting composition for douching 2 times a day


Recipe five. If you want to strengthen your own body and saturate it with useful substances, we advise you to use this recipe:

  • Take calendula (50 g)
  • Fill it with boiling water (500 ml)
  • Set aside to cool completely
  • Drink warm tea throughout the day

Recipe six. For this recipe, stock up on a pinch of the following ingredients:

  • Chopped bergenia root
  • clover flowers
  • Eucalyptus leaves
  • tansy flowers
  • bearberry leaves
  • Wintergreen
  • Leaves coltsfoot
  • Mint
  • Yasnotka

Cooking process:

  • Mix all ingredients
  • Take 1 tablespoon of the composition, pour boiling water (500 ml)
  • Drink the resulting remedy every day for 1 tbsp. before meals 3 times

Treatment of gardnerellosis with metronidazole

Usually, during the treatment of gardnerellosis, doctors prescribe metronidazole to patients, since this drug is considered the best and most effective. This medicine exists both for local use (candles or vaginal tablets) and for systemic use (tablets or capsules plus suppositories).

If treatment with metronidazole is not done on time, then the number of lactobacilli begins to actively decrease. As a result, microorganisms multiply rapidly.

During the illness, as a rule, there is severe itching in the genital area and an unpleasant burning sensation. And this disease can cause pain during intimacy.

  • Metronidazole gel is used for topical treatment. The drug must be injected into the inside of the vagina. The introduction is about 5 days, 2 times a day.
  • Metronidazole tablets are suitable for systemic therapy of the disease. The medicine of 0.5 g is applied orally for at least 7 days, 2 times a day. Note that when taking pills, you should not drink alcohol at all.

If we talk about side effects, then, as a rule, there are very few of them during intravaginal use than during systemic use. You should know and understand that no drug gives a full guarantee of the absence of a relapse. Therefore, it is advisable not to refuse preventive visits to the attending doctor.

Treatment of gardnerellosis during pregnancy

After a disease has been detected in a pregnant woman, her doctor prescribes therapy. As a rule, this is a gentle treatment when compared with the treatment of a non-pregnant woman. Gardnerellosis cannot be completely eliminated during pregnancy, since the disease can only be cured with antibiotics. And as we know, such drugs are strictly prohibited for pregnant women.

Therefore, therapeutic measures against this disease are reduced to the use of local procedures. Complete treatment of the disease in the vagina is carried out only after the woman has given birth to a child.

The main task of the doctor in such an interesting period is as follows: he carefully monitors the number of microorganisms in the female body in order to prevent the unexpected appearance of an inflammatory process. During a regular examination for this disease, the doctor examines a woman on a gynecological chair a couple of times a month.

When such an examination is carried out, a woman passes flora tests in advance, plus a bacterial culture. If signs of inflammation are found, she is prescribed a certain local drug, for example, douching, candles, and so on. If a disease is detected a couple of weeks before childbirth, a special preparatory process is carried out.

As a rule, treatment is divided into stages.

  • The first stage - the doctor prescribes antimicrobial drugs that eliminate the negative microflora
  • The second stage - there is a restoration of the lactic environment of the vagina

Basically, gardnerellosis in pregnant women disappears after preventive measures are taken to cleanse the microflora and douching. This, of course, is possible, but only if the disease occurred during pregnancy or in the absence of its complications.

Based on the foregoing, it is safe to say that a disease such as gardnerellosis can be stopped in almost all cases. The main thing here is the timely detection of this disease and the prevention of its flow into a chronic form. Numerous reviews of women who have had a similar illness indicate that modern methods of treatment are very effective if all the prescriptions of the attending physician are followed. Take care of yourself!

Video: Treatment of gardnerellosis in women

Women's health is perhaps the most burning topic of conversation among the fair sex. Burning, itching in the genital tract, the appearance of an unpleasant odor cause great discomfort and require urgent medical measures.

There are many reasons for the appearance of such symptoms, but most often they are caused by dysbiotic processes in the vagina and the reproduction of opportunistic microorganisms in it - gardnerella. Thanks to up-to-date medical information and videos in this article, you will learn the symptoms and treatment of gardnerellosis in women.

Gardnerellosis, or bacterial vaginosis, is one of the most common gynecological pathologies. According to statistics, at least once every fifth woman has developed it.

It is interesting. The disease was named after the American scientist Herman Gardner, who discovered its causative agent, the bacterium Gardnerellavaginalis, in 1950.

At the heart of the pathogenesis of infection is vaginal dysbacteriosis. At the same time, the proportion of normal microflora represented by lactobacilli (Dederlein rods) is rapidly decreasing, and active reproduction of UPM (bacteria that are commonly called conditionally pathogenic), including gardnerella, occurs.

These microorganisms actively attach to epithelial structures, increasing their granularity and contributing to destruction. In microbiology, such altered cells are called key cells.

In the photo in the center - "key cell" - the main microscopic sign of the disease

The reasons

And what are the causes of gardnerellosis in women? Since the infection is bacterial in nature, it can be contracted through unprotected sexual contact from a partner. However, it should not be attributed to venereal diseases.

One of the possible routes of transmission is through sexual contact.

But more often gardnerellosis develops regardless of sexual contact. According to studies, a small number of bacteria of the genus Gadnerella is found in the vagina of healthy women.

As long as their number does not exceed the critical norm, they cannot cause pathological changes in the body and are considered absolutely safe. If the proportion of beneficial lactobacilli decreases, and these opportunistic microbes occupy a dominant position in the vaginal microflora, a disease develops.

Therefore, the causes of gardnerellosis in women can be as follows:

  • decreased immunity (due to adverse living conditions, chronic diseases, stress);
  • long-term use of high doses of antibiotics;
  • natural hormonal changes in the body - pregnancy and lactation, menopause;
  • concomitant urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases;
  • endocrine pathologies: diabetes mellitus, reduced thyroid gland;
  • non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene;
  • douching (especially with antiseptic solutions - Chlorhexidine, Miramistin);
  • taking certain drugs (glucocorticosteroids, antidepressants, drugs based on 9-nonoxynol).

Most often, gardnerellosis develops in women who often change sexual partners and have sex without a condom. In addition, due to the common ways of transmission of infection in this category of patients, the risk of infection with gonorrhea, chlamydia, ureaplasmosis and other sexually transmitted diseases increases significantly.

Clinical manifestations

The incubation period of bacterial vaginosis is small: it does not exceed 5-10 days. The course of the disease is slowly progressive.

Although the infection is not considered dangerous (it does not lead to infertility or other serious complications), it should be treated as soon as possible. Gardnerellosis not only causes a woman great discomfort, but can also be transmitted to her sexual partners through sexual contact.

First signs

The first symptoms of gardnerellosis in women immediately attract attention.

These include:

  1. Unpleasant "rotten" smell from the genital tract reminiscent of the stench of rotten fish. At the same time, it intensifies after sex and even washing (since soap creates an alkaline environment in the vagina), and periods of freshness become shorter and shorter.
  2. Allocations- with gardnerellosis in women, they are not abundant, grayish-white or cream in color.

If the disease is not treated

The progression of gardenerrellosis leads to such unpleasant symptoms as:

  • burning, itching or other discomfort in the perineum;
  • pain in the lower abdomen (one of the signs of vaginitis);
  • discomfort during sex;
  • creamy discharge;
  • sometimes - pain when urinating, excretion of urine in small portions.

Important! Often, vaginosis develops against the background of other diseases of the genitourinary system - candidiasis, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea. In this case, the clinical manifestations of the pathology become erased, which makes it difficult to diagnose.

Diagnostic principles

Before prescribing treatment for gardnerellosis in women, the doctor must conduct a comprehensive assessment of the patient's condition.

To diagnose the disease, it is enough:

  • collect complaints and anamnesis;
  • conduct a visual examination of the external genitalia and cervix in the mirrors;
  • take a smear on the flora;
  • determine the pH of the vagina;
  • test for isonitrile.

An important role in the diagnosis is played by a regular smear on the flora. Microscopic examination of the obtained biomaterial allows you to identify gardnerella and calculate its amount.

Valuable are also tests for determining the pH of the vagina (due to alkalization, its sharp increase is observed) and one of the waste products of bacteria - isonitrile (determined in secretions).

Note! It is not advisable to conduct immunological tests and PCR diagnostics for gardnerellosis. It is not the fact of the presence of the pathogen in the body that is important, but the increase in its quantity.

Approaches to therapy

And how to treat gardnerellosis in women? First of all, it is necessary to eliminate the factors that provoke the development of the disease.

Standard instructions for patients include:

  1. Refusal of unreasonable and uncontrolled intake of antimicrobial drugs.
  2. Sex with a regular sexual partner, the exclusion of casual relationships.
  3. Use of condoms.
  4. Taking oral contraceptives and other hormonal drugs only after consulting a doctor.
  5. Refusal to douche.
  6. Healthy and varied diet: avoiding fatty, fried, overly salty and spicy foods. The use of a sufficient amount of fruits, vegetables and dairy products (contribute to the restoration of the population of lactobacilli).

Note! With bacterial vaginosis, it is contraindicated to use spermicides, as well as condoms and vaginal rings treated with 9-nonoxynol, since this substance alkalizes the environment and provokes the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

The first stage of drug therapy

After eliminating the external causes, the specialist proceeds to the destruction of the infectious agent. Antibiotic therapy is carried out. Since the selection of the drug is carried out individually, based on many factors, it is important that it be prescribed by a doctor. How is gardnerellosis usually treated in women?

Standard therapeutic regimens involve the use of one of the powerful antimicrobial agents:

  • Metronidazole- 0.5 g × 2r / d (7 days) or 2 g once;
  • Ornizadola- 0.5 g × 2 r / d (5 days);
  • Clindamycin–0.3 g × 2 r/d (3 days);
  • Wilprafen- 0.5 × 3 r / d (7 days).

Important! At the time of therapy, you should stop drinking strong drinks.

In addition to taking tablet forms of antibiotics, local therapy is possible. Most often, vaginal creams, gels and suppositories are prescribed for gardnerellosis in women.

Among the drugs of choice:

  • Clindamycin (cream, 2%);
  • Metronidazole (gel, 0.75%);
  • Dalacin (cream, 2%);
  • Flagyl (vaginal suppositories).

In rare cases, specialists stop at exclusively local treatment, but its effectiveness is much lower compared to systemic antibiotic therapy.

For several decades, Metronidazole for gardnerellosis in women has remained one of the most popular drugs. This antibiotic has a broad action profile and is active against most bacteria, Trichomonas, and protozoa. Contraindicated in case of individual intolerance, leukopenia, diseases of the central nervous system, liver damage, pregnancy.

Ornidazole is also often prescribed to patients: with gardnerellosis in women, it quickly destroys pathogenic microorganisms and has virtually no side effects. It is undesirable to take it during the first trimester of pregnancy, with decompensated diseases of the liver and kidneys, and individual intolerance.

If bacterial vaginosis is combined with candidiasis (thrush), the appointment of combined antimicrobial and antifungal drugs is indicated:

  • Terzhinan;
  • Klion-D;
  • Neo-Penotran.

Important! After completing a course of antibiotic therapy to control treatment, it is necessary to take a smear from the vagina again.

The second stage of drug therapy

The treatment regimen for bacterial vaginosis necessarily includes the appointment of probiotics. These funds help in the restoration of normal microflora and the fight against opportunistic bacteria. Popular drugs for the treatment of gardnerellosis in women are presented in the table below.

Table: Probiotics in the treatment of gardnerellosis:

Name, manufacturer Mode of application A course of treatment average price

1 capsule × 1r/d10 daysCapsules 180 mg, 15 pcs. - 660 rubles.

2-3 doses × 2 r / d. Dilute the powder in 5 ml of boiled water, use intravaginally7-10 daysLyophilization 2 billion cfu/dose, 10 pcs. - 170 r.

1 supp. × 1 r/d (overnight)5-10 daysVaginal suppositories, 10 pcs. - 120 r.

Note! It does not contain strains of beneficial bacteria, but the drug Vaginorm-C (vaginal tablets) improves the vaginal microflora. Due to the content of ascorbic acid, it lowers the pH to normal values ​​and creates optimal conditions for the reproduction of Dederlein sticks.

Traditional medicine recipes

As an auxiliary therapy for the disease, drugs based on medicinal plants and natural adaptogens are widely used. However, remember that the treatment of gardnerellosis in women with folk remedies is possible only in the absence of concomitant sexually transmitted infections, as well as signs of inflammation of the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries.

Important! Alternative medicine, like any medicine, has its contraindications. Be sure to consult your doctor before starting therapy.

Sitz baths from decoction of oak bark

Ingredients:

  • oak bark - 250 g;
  • water - 0.75 l.

Pour the prepared raw materials with cool water and leave for 3-4 hours. Then boil the liquid for 15 minutes, cool to a comfortable temperature and strain. Pour into a shallow basin and use for sitz baths at bedtime. The duration of treatment is 10-14 days.

Medicinal collection for the preparation of sitz baths

Ingredients:

  • juniper berries;
  • Oak bark;
  • chamomile flowers;
  • walnut leaves;
  • oatmeal straw.

200 g of the crushed mixture, made up of ingredients taken in equal proportions, pour a liter of boiling water. Infuse for 45 minutes under the lid. Strain and pour into a sitz basin.

Aloe juice tampons

Take 5-10 ml of aloe juice (it is desirable that the plant is more than three years old) and soak a small cotton swab with it. Insert a tampon into the vagina and leave for 7-8 hours (preferably overnight). Course - 7 days.

Gardnerellosis is one of the most common "female" diseases. Discomfort in the vagina and perineum, as well as foul-smelling discharge, are the first to indicate dysbacteriosis of the vaginal microflora and require timely treatment.

Having successfully completed a two-stage therapy, a woman will get rid of unpleasant symptoms, feeling comfortable and confident.

Questions to the doctor

Gardnerellosis during pregnancy

Irina, 23 years old: I am pregnant, 27 weeks. At the last examination, she complained to the doctor that unusual white discharge appeared, passed a smear, and such a “surprise” was found there - gardnerella. Tell me, is this disease dangerous for the baby, and how is it treated?

Hello! Gardnerellosis often develops in expectant mothers. This is due to a powerful hormonal restructuring in the body, and a possible decrease in immunity against the background of bearing a fetus.

The theoretical danger of the disease lies in the suppression of the growth of the normal microflora of the vagina - Dederlein's sticks, and the alkalization of the acidic environment, which is a natural protective barrier in the genital tract. In other words, with gardnerellosis, favorable conditions are created for the reproduction of other pathogenic bacteria (for example, ureaplasmas, mycoplasmas).

Therefore, it is necessary to treat the disease. During pregnancy, the treatment regimen usually includes the appointment of a local antibiotic (for example, Terzhinan or Dalacin) and probiotic preparations. Be healthy!

Treatment of combined genitourinary infections

Nina, 27 years old: Recently I went to the gynecologist to take tests. I was diagnosed with gardnerella and ureaplasma. Is it dangerous? How are these diseases treated?

Hello! Gardnerellosis and ureaplasmosis are among the most common infections among sexually active women. In itself, the detection of these pathogens is not considered a problem (they are determined in 50-60% of all the fair sex). Therapy should only be started if:

  • a woman complains of discomfort, pain, discharge from the genital tract;
  • the doctor diagnosed objective signs of vaginitis, urethritis, endocervicitis;
  • there are signs of inflammation according to the results of a smear from the vagina;
  • titers of microorganisms exceed the permissible values.

The treatment regimen for gardnerellosis and ureaplasmosis in women usually involves the appointment of doxycycline, macrolides (Azithromycin, Josamycin) or fluoroquinolones (Ofloxacin, Levofloxacin). It is also important to strengthen the immune system and restore normal vaginal microflora with the help of probiotics.

Gardnerellosis in men

Valentina, 24 years old: They found bacterial vaginosis in me, now I'm taking antibiotics. And whether it is necessary to be surveyed and treated to my husband? The gynecologist didn't say anything about it.

Hello! For a long time, gardnerellosis was considered an exclusively female disease and was even called "vaginal dysbacteriosis." And today in the scientific literature it is noted that in the male body the bacterium Gardnerella vaginalis practically does not take root, maintaining its viability from several hours to several days.

However, in about 10% of cases (usually against the background of concomitant infections of the genitourinary system), gardnerellosis can develop in representatives of the strong half of humanity. Usually the disease manifests itself in the form of urethritis and is accompanied by pains of a cutting nature during urination, mild discharge from the urethra.

Therefore, your sexual partner should be treated only if he has complaints. To completely eliminate the risk of re-infection with gardnerella, give up sexual intimacy for the entire period of taking antibiotics.

Gardnerellosis is an acute inflammatory disease of the genitourinary system in men and women associated with vaginal gardnerella. The causative agent is the anaerobic bacterium gardnerella, which is part of the vaginal microflora (less than 1% of the living microorganisms). A change in the composition of the microflora causes the development of candidiasis, gardnerellosis and other non-inflammatory diseases of the female reproductive system.

The bacterium belongs to facultative anaerobes, capable of rapidly multiplying, destroying the normal flora in the vagina. The microorganism is resistant to standard antibiotics, which makes therapy difficult when the disease occurs.

Gardnerellosis is common among women who have multiple sexual partners. The disease is sexually transmitted, as men are carriers of the infection. The contact-household mechanism of distribution is unlikely.

A photo

Symptoms of gardnerellosis

Symptoms in women

In half of the patients who were diagnosed with gardnerellosis, the clinical picture of the disease is absent. However, being carriers, these women become sources of infection for men, and also pose a danger to their own newborns.

Symptoms of the disease:

  • copious discharge from the vagina of a white or yellowish color;
  • unpleasant smell of discharge and in the vagina (reminiscent of rotten fish);
  • subjective sensations in the vagina (itching and burning);
  • burning during or immediately after urination.

Unlike thrush (vaginal candidiasis), discharge from gardnerellosis is not similar to cheesy plaque. Also, there are no pronounced discomfort during or after sex.

Symptoms in men

Men infected by women are asymptomatic carriers of the disease and are not even aware that they have gardnerellosis. This is due to the fact that the microorganism infects squamous epithelial cells, which are present in the vagina, but are deficient in men.

Gardnerellosis in men occurs when there is a strong decrease in immunity. The disease manifests itself with typical signs of urethritis:

  • discomfort when urinating;
  • inflammatory phenomena (swelling and hyperemia);
  • discharge from the urethra;
  • itching and burning in the urethra.

These signs are weakly expressed and are fully manifested in the presence of concomitant pathologies.

Sometimes men develop prostatitis - inflammation of the prostate gland or balanoposthitis - inflammation of the glans penis and both layers of the foreskin. However, such variants of pathology are characterized by poor and sluggish symptoms.

Treatment of gardnerellosis

The treatment regimen for gardnerellosis includes two stages:

At the first stage, an excessive amount of gardnerella in the genital tract is destroyed. Therefore, the main drugs at the beginning of treatment are the specific antibiotics metronidazole and clindamyci, which are prescribed for topical use in the form of gels, ointments or vaginal tablets for 7-10 days.

Treatment of pregnant women with antibiotics is different: in the first trimester, therapy is carried out with ampicillin, and in the second - with metronidazole. Pregnant women should not be prescribed clindamycin, due to the toxic effect on the fetus. Treatment should not be delayed until the baby is born, as the infection provokes premature birth and complications in the health of the mother and child.

After the destruction of pathogenic bacteria, at the second stage of treatment, the normal microflora of the vagina, which has suffered due to antibiotic therapy, is restored. For this purpose, vaginal suppositories containing lactobacilli are prescribed:

  • Acylact;
  • Lactonorm;
  • Lactobacterin.

Sometimes oral medication is also possible. To achieve the result, it is recommended to follow a diet. During treatment, exclude from the diet:

  • spicy and fried foods;
  • alcohol;
  • sweet.

In addition, more fermented milk products containing lactobacilli are added to the diet: yogurts and kefirs.

Sometimes, against the background of bacterial vaginosis, women develop intestinal dysbacteriosis. For the purpose of prevention, a course of probiotics is prescribed:

  • Linex;
  • Enterogermina;
  • Bifidumbacterin.

It is also useful to prescribe immunomodulators, since the disease often occurs against the background of weakened immunity. As a rule, natural-based preparations (for example, echinacea) are used.

During treatment, sexual contact is prohibited. The key to effective treatment of gardnerellosis is the examination of the sexual partner to prevent reinfection.

Monitoring the effectiveness of therapy is carried out 10 days after the start, if necessary, the preparations are corrected.

Folk remedies for the treatment of gardnerellosis

At home, gardnerellosis is treated with herbs and plants. Medicines are prepared easily, while the positive results of alternative treatment appear quickly.

Here are six popular recipes for folk remedies for the treatment of gardnerellosis:

  • Mix 100 g of chamomile with 100 g of sage and the same amount of calendula. Pour 300 g of the collection with 2 liters of water and boil over low heat for 30 minutes. Cool the prepared liquid and use for douching. For one douching procedure - at least 100 ml of healing liquid.
  • Steam 100 g of dry pharmaceutical chamomile in 1 liter of hot water, set aside for 60 minutes, strain and use for irrigation. The tool will help destroy harmful bacteria and strengthen the body.
  • After the onset of gardnerellosis, it is advised to douche with the help of oak bark - pour 200 g of raw materials with 1 liter of boiling water, cook over medium heat for half an hour and strain. Each time for douching, use 1 glass of this drug. During the day, do at least 2 such procedures.
  • 50 g of elecampane root mixed with the same amount of wormwood herb, licorice roots and raspberry leaves. Steam 100 g of the collection in 1 liter of boiling water and set aside for 9 hours. Use the resulting consistency for douching twice a day.
  • In the same amount, mix the crushed bergenia root with clover flowers; eucalyptus leaves; tansy flowers; bearberry leaves; wintergreen grass; coltsfoot leaves; mint herb and lamb herb. Pour 2 tablespoons of the crushed mixture with 1 liter of boiling water and set aside overnight. You need to drink such a remedy for half a glass three times a day before meals.
  • Calendula tea is recommended to strengthen the body and saturate it with useful trace elements in bacterial vaginosis. Pour 100 g of calendula with 1 liter of boiling water and wait until the liquid has cooled. You can drink this tea warm throughout the day. Positive results usually appear quickly.

Causes of gardnerellosis

Gardnerellosis occurs when the composition of the vaginal microflora changes. The number of beneficial microorganisms (lactobacilli) inhabiting this organ decreases, and the number of conditionally pathogenic, pathogenic bacteria increases. This imbalance can be caused by both internal and external causes.

Internal causes

  • hormonal changes in the body;
  • reduced immunity;
  • chronic fatigue, overwork, stress;
  • inflammatory processes of the genitourinary sphere;
  • intestinal dysbiosis.

External causes

  • malnutrition;
  • taking antibiotics and hormonal drugs;
  • the use of flavored hygiene products;
  • wearing tight synthetic underwear;
  • frequent change of sexual partners;
  • unprotected intercourse;
  • venereal diseases.

The disease is transmitted from a sick mother to her child, usually a girl at the time of birth, but newborn children are not diagnosed like this. To prevent the onset of symptoms of the disease, the infant is prescribed drug therapy.

The likelihood of infection with gardnerellosis increases in women who are sexually active, often change partners and ignore barrier types of contraception. The natural balance of microflora is also disturbed due to the frequent use of vaginal products and birth control pills.

Complications of gardnerellosis

In most patients, gardnerellosis does not lead to complications, and quickly disappears after a course of antibiotic treatment. But, sometimes the disease gives dangerous consequences. Undertreated or chronic gardnerellosis causes:

  • endometritis;
  • salpingitis;
  • inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs.

Gardnerellosis causes complications during pregnancy, including:

  • premature rupture of membranes;
  • premature birth;
  • chorioamnionitis;
  • postpartum endometritis.

In addition, gardnerellosis increases the risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Diagnosis of gardnerellosis

For the diagnosis of gardnerellosis in women, laboratory studies of secretions and desquamated cells of the vaginal mucosa are used. The presence of the disease is indicated by an increase in the acidity of the vaginal environment above 4.5 pH, a positive amine test confirming an increased number of anaerobic bacteria, as well as the detection of Gardnerella vaginalis microorganisms in the desquamated cells of the vaginal epithelium.

In itself, the presence of a pathogenic bacterium is not yet a symptom of gardnerellosis, since small amounts of a pathogenic microorganism are also allowed in a healthy person.

An informative method for the quantitative determination of gardnerellosis in women is the PCR technology (polymer chain reaction), which is also used in the diagnosis of gardnerellosis in men for the analysis of urine, semen, scraping of the urogenital tract and prostate secretion. PCR sensitivity up to 100%.

Differential Diagnosis

I differentiate Gardnerellosis with other diseases of the genitourinary system, with similar symptoms:

  • fungal infection of the genital tract;
  • trichomoniasis;
  • gonorrhea;
  • nonspecific inflammatory process.

Forecast and prevention of gardnerellosis

If the treatment of gardnerellosis is started on time, the vaginal microflora is restored after 2-4 weeks. If gardnerellosis is not treated, the risk increases:

  • inflammation of the appendages;
  • infertility;
  • premature birth;
  • complications during pregnancy.

Prevention of gardnerellosis implies the absence of stress, hypothermia, douching, as well as healthy sleep, proper nutrition, walking in the air, wearing cotton underwear, using a condom during casual sex. It should be periodically examined by a gynecologist for the condition of the vaginal microflora, and if a violation occurs, correct it with a course of treatment.

Preventive measures against gardnerellosis include:

  • having one sexual partner;
  • refusal to use intrauterine devices;
  • prevention of inflammatory processes in the genital tract;
  • the use of antibiotics according to strict indications, followed by correction of dysbacteriosis;
  • exclusion of too early onset of sexual activity.

Questions and answers on the topic "Gardnerellosis"

Hello. By PCR, my husband was found to have gardnerella and ureaplasma parvum. The doctor said Gardnerell did not need to be treated, but ureaplasma is possible (although it is parvum that is not dangerous), but if we are planning children, it is better to treat it. They prescribed the antibiotic Unidox Solutab for 10 days to him and me and Linex according to the scheme. Question: Do I need to be tested for gardnerella? As I understand it, women must treat her. I haven't started taking antibiotics yet.

This is necessary to prevent reinfection, and when planning a pregnancy, it is mandatory.

Hello. I was diagnosed with gardrenellez, but no treatment was prescribed. Can I treat myself and with what drugs should I start?

Hello! Self-medication is dangerous to health. Medicines can only be prescribed by the attending physician. Why didn't you receive treatment? Ask this question to your doctor or change it.

Good afternoon! He underwent a course of treatment for Gardnerellosis (drank metrodinazole 2 * 2 times a day for 10 days, installations in the canal, injections with transfusion into the buttocks). The course ended on Monday 14 August. The next day there was a PCR analysis, done just in case for all STDs. Gardnerellosis showed a positive result, all the rest - negative. The doctor said to take control after 2 weeks. Today is Friday and I feel the symptoms that appeared before and during the treatment (discomfort in the head area, sometimes a little redness, and most importantly - frequent urge to urinate. The question is - should I wait for a control analysis in 2 weeks and hope that the symptoms will pass? Or insist on continuing treatment only with other drugs, given that another week has not passed since taking metrodinazole.Thanks in advance!

Hello! Treatment of gardnerellosis is considered complete when symptoms disappear and laboratory criteria normalize. You need to draw the attention of the attending physician to the preservation (return) of complaints.

Hello! If the infection is not detected in time, what complications can there be?

Hello! Read about the consequences of untreated gardnerellosis in the section.

Hello! I am 50 years old and I was diagnosed with Gardnerellosis, the doctor prescribed me Lavomax tablets and Viferon rectal suppositories. I have been taking the drugs for 10 days, but the symptoms do not disappear. I don’t know what to do.

Hello! The treatment regimen for gardnerellosis includes two stages: at the first stage, an excessive amount of gardnerella in the genital tract is destroyed. Therefore, the main drugs at the beginning of treatment are the specific antibiotics metronidazole and clindamycin, which are prescribed for topical use in the form of gels, ointments or vaginal tablets for 7-10 days. After the destruction of pathogenic bacteria, at the second stage of treatment, the normal microflora of the vagina is restored. Vaginal suppositories with lactobacilli are prescribed. Report treatment failure to your doctor.

Hello! For the first time, gardnerella was discovered at the 20th week of pregnancy, after childbirth they began to treat it. No other diseases were detected, my husband was checked, he is clean! During these six months, I was prescribed from the drugs: metronidazole, polygynex, dalacin, vaginorm-s, polyoxidonium, salvagin. I was told not to use panty liners as they can also cause gardnerella. I have no smell, and the discharge is not particularly disturbing. Just according to the analyzes, there are more of them now, already 11.6. Now metronidazole was prescribed again, only once for 2 years. How long should I take the test to see if there is a result? Can this crap be cured?

Hello! You probably already know everything about gardnerella. This is a symptom of bacterial vaginosis. They do not apply to sexually transmitted infections. The cause of gardnerella is a change in the microbiocenosis of the vagina against the background of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, unreasonable use of antibiotics, douching. Bacvaginosis is based on a decrease in immunity. You were on a standard treatment regimen. The examination of the husband is not relevant. I advise you to check the condition of the intestines, pay attention to digestion. Donate blood for glucose, and if necessary, you will have to exclude the presence of helminths. That is, everything that can provoke bacterial vaginosis. At the time of the examination, local intimate hygiene products (tantum rose, epigen intim), interferon preparations with antioxidants C, E (viferon), as well as probiotics (bion-3) can be prescribed.

Hello! My girlfriend was diagnosed with gardnerellosis. As a result, I was prescribed the following treatment: clarithromycin 500 once a day (10 days), metronidazole twice a day (10 days), bifiform 2 capsules twice a day. I didn't get tested. There are doubts about the correctness of the prescribed tablets. Are there too many antibiotics for the male body, if they write everywhere that this infection in men does not linger and is washed out in a natural way?

Hello! That's right, you don't need treatment.

Gardnerella in women (bacterial vaginosis)- a sexually transmitted disease that is caused by a high concentration of anaerobic microorganisms and is accompanied by a decrease in lactobacilli in the body. The role played by lactobacilli in the female genital organs is the formation of a lactic acid environment that prevents the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms. Normally, the body has a variety of opportunistic bacteria, including the gardnerella fungus, but under normal conditions it is not enough for the development of the disease. The initial period of the disease is 5-10 days, after which the first signs of gardnerellosis appear. Men are only carriers of the disease, and it develops in women.

Causes of gardnerella in women

When gardnerella is diagnosed in women, few people think about where this disease comes from. Gardnerellosis occurs in almost 20% of women who are able to give birth and have an active sex life. The cause of the disease is an infection that is transmitted from a partner, less often - internal factors.

Causes of gardnerella in women

  • Refusal of contraceptives.
  • Too frequent douching.
  • Reduced immunity.
  • Violation of the hormonal background.
  • Imbalance of the flora of the intestines and the genitourinary system.
  • Inflammatory processes in the body.
  • Excessive susceptibility to infections.
  • inflammatory processes.
  • Taking hormonal drugs and antidepressants.

Symptoms of gardnerella in women

In some cases, the disease proceeds without external manifestations, but in most cases it is accompanied by pronounced symptoms.

Symptoms of gardnerella in women

  • Yellowish or grayish creamy discharge sticking to the inner walls of the vagina.
  • The smell of rotten fish from the genitals.
  • obvious inflammatory processes.
  • Itching, burning, pain during intercourse.

The disease is especially dangerous for pregnant women. When infected, the signs of gardnerella in women remain unchanged, but there is a risk of infection of the fetus, uterine bleeding, the development of diseases of the genitourinary system, pneumonia in newborns, postpartum endometritis, problems with the small pelvis and other pathologies. Timely access to a doctor and proper treatment helps to reduce the risk of pathologies.

Treatment of gardnerella in women

In the event that gardnerella is diagnosed in women, the signs and treatment may be different. The diagnosis can only be made by a venereologist based on a survey, examination and laboratory results. The most effective treatment for gardnerellosis in women is antibiotic therapy in combination with antibiotics. For a speedy recovery, immune preparations and vitamins are prescribed, it is recommended to refrain from sexual intercourse. Gardnerella is sensitive to clindamycin and penicillin, which can be used in the form of tablets or vaginal suppositories. There are other drugs for topical and internal use, which are prescribed by a doctor. Their combination with alcohol is unacceptable!

Women's health is the most burning topic among beautiful ladies. Any pathological changes (pain, discharge, smell) often cause a woman to panic, make her run to the pharmacy and buy the advertised products.

However, not a single commercial, not a single friend who “knows exactly how to treat, because she had exactly the same thing,” will diagnose and prescribe the correct treatment. Although some diseases - thrush, gardnerellosis - are not so dangerous (do not cause), their treatment is necessary to restore comfortable sensations and prevent undesirable consequences.

Gardnerellosis: what is it?

Almost everyone has heard about the microflora of the vagina: "useful" lactic acid bacteria live here, keeping conditionally pathogenic microorganisms (including gardnerella) in a weakened state.

It is the weakening of local immunity that provokes mass reproduction, primarily of fungi, gardnerella and other anaerobes. As a result of an imbalance in the vaginal microflora, a woman develops unpleasant symptoms.

The anaerobic bacterium Gardnerella vaginalis is found in small amounts in the vagina of even a healthy woman. Only a large amount of it and the acquisition of aggressive properties leads to a disease - let's take a closer look at what it is.

Gardnerellosis is one of the varieties of vaginal dysbacteriosis. Statistics: every fifth woman suffers from gardnerellosis (bacterial vaginosis).

Gardnerellosis: causes

Since gardnerellosis is a bacterial infection, it can be contracted through sexual intercourse. However, this disease should not be attributed purely to sexually transmitted infections.

Although the most common route of infection is still sexual, other provoking factors should not be ruled out. The occurrence of gardnerellosis in women occurs for the following reasons:

  • decrease in general immunity (chronic infections, stress);
  • massive antibiotic therapy, which provokes the death of lactobacilli in the intestine and vagina;
  • hormonal disruptions: pregnancy,;
  • urinary tract infections;
  • taking hormonal contraceptives and drugs with 9-nonoxynol (Patentex Oval), antidepressants, corticosteroids;
  • and other endocrine pathologies;
  • insufficient intimate hygiene;
  • frequent douching with antiseptics Chlorhexidine, Miramistin.

Bacterial vaginosis is more common among women who frequently change sexual partners and do not use condoms. In this case, there is a serious risk of simultaneous infection with gardnerella, gonococcus, ureoplasma and other infectious agents.

The incubation period of gardnerellosis in women is from 4 to 10 days. The first thing the patient pays attention to:

  • The smell of "rotten fish" from the vagina, causing serious discomfort and forcing you to repeat washing up to 5-6 times a day. However, the alkaline environment of soap only exacerbates the situation: the smell becomes more and more pungent, the periods of "cleanliness" (lack of an unpleasant smell) are shorter and shorter. The specific smell is caused by the breakdown of amines, a waste product of gardnerella.
  • Slight discharge from the vagina whitish-gray or.

The onset of bacterial vaginosis is similar to the development of other infections. Therefore, when the first pathological changes appear, you should consult a gynecologist.

Symptoms of gardnerellosis in women

The development of the disease leads to the appearance of other symptoms:

  • burning and itching in the perineum;
  • soreness, spilled over the lower abdomen (indicates the development of an inflammatory process in the vagina);
  • pain/discomfort during intercourse;
  • runoff along the walls of the vagina into the perineum;
  • signs of cystitis.

It is noticed: the symptoms of the disease are aggravated immediately after sexual intercourse. Sperm, having an alkaline reaction, is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria.

Diagnosis of the disease on the clinical picture is quite difficult. Often, the disease develops simultaneously with vaginal candidiasis (thrush), often accompanied by infection, gonococcus.

Diagnostics

Before prescribing treatment for gardnerellosis in a woman, the doctor takes into account the symptoms and complaints, during a gynecological examination, a vaginal secretion is taken for examination:

  • a smear (in most cases it is sufficient, microscopic examination reveals gardnerella and counts its amount);
  • assessment of the pH of the vagina (in case of a disease, an alkaline environment is fixed, the pH increases);
  • isonitrile test (detects a large number of bacteria).

Conducting studies of PIF (direct immunofluorescence) and PCR (DNA diagnostics) is not advisable. When making a diagnosis, it is not the detection of gardnerella that is important, but its quantity.

The main and mandatory method of treatment of bacterial vaginosis is antibiotic therapy.

Treatment regimen for gardnerellosis in women:

  • oral preparations - Metronidazole (Trichopolum, Klion) 250 mg twice a day (incompatible with alcohol!) Or Clindamycin 150 mg twice a day, course - 1 week;
  • local treatment - Metronidazole in gel (tampons in the morning / evening) or suppositories, Clindamycin cream once a day, the duration of application is 7 days.

In women, treatment with drugs of the penicillin group (Ampicillin) is possible. Gardnerella is resistant to tetracyclines (Doxycycline, Tetracycline), cephalosporins (Claforan, Ceftriaxone), sulfonamides (Septrin, Biseptol), aminoglycosides (Neomycin, Kanamycin).

When diagnosing a disease, her sexual partner is also treated at the same time. Often, bacterial vaginosis, combined with candidiasis, requires simultaneous antifungal therapy.

In this case, suppositories for gardnerellosis are prescribed, which have a combined antifungal / antibacterial composition (Clomezol, Gynotran), vaginal tablets (Terzhinan, Mikozhinaks) are also effective.

Treatment of gardnerellosis in women at home on a course of antibiotics and a "clean" re-analysis does not end. To exclude the subsequent reproduction of bacteria, it is necessary to restore the vaginal microflora and thereby strengthen the local immune defense.

For this, medications such as Vagilak (vaginal capsules) and Epigen-intim (gel) are used. The average duration of application is 2 weeks.

The unpleasant consequences of gardnerellosis mostly concern pregnant women. Complications of this infection include:

  • pyelonephritis, chronic cystitis;
  • endometritis (including postpartum), inflammation of the appendages;
  • bleeding during pregnancy and premature birth;
  • infection of the fetus during childbirth (pneumonia), low weight of the newborn.

Prevention

  • Proper hygiene: timely change of pads and tampons during menstruation, washing twice a day with neutral products, avoiding intimate deodorants.
  • Clothing hygiene: Avoid tight pants and synthetic underwear.
  • Sexual hygiene: contraception (condoms), long-term relationships.
  • Health hygiene: strengthening immunity, treatment of chronic infections and hormonal disorders.
  • Preventive check-ups twice a year.
  • Lifestyle hygiene: good nutrition, stress resistance.