Vaginal infections: epidemiology and risk factors

263 Vaginitis is a very common disease, affecting millions of women and is one of the primary reasons why women visit their doctor, but, among these, the true incidence of vaginal infections is difficult to ascertain, since most women and sometimes their doctors use the term vaginitis as a synonym for infections, assuming that all vulvovaginal irritations or itching, especially when accompanied by abnormal secretions, is caused by microorganisms. When symptoms are acute, infection is the most common cause, but chronic symptoms often have different or additional aetiologies, and any patient with vaginitis who does not respond to antinfective therapy should have her infection confirmed by laboratory tests. Furthermore, the actual frequency of infectious vaginitis is also difficult to ascertain, due to numerous confounding factors, such as a high asymptomatic rate, inaccurate self-diagnosis and treatment, and population dependence. In the USA, the reported rate at general gynaecologic clinics is 5-15%, while for STD clinics, reported rates range from 32% to as SUMMARY: Vaginal infections: epidemiology and risk factors.