Vaginitis Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Hetal B Gor, MD, FACOG; Chief Editor: Michel E Rivlin, MD   more...
 
Updated: Oct 27, 2011
 
 

Diagnostic Considerations

In addition to the conditions listed in the differential diagnosis, other problems to be considered include the following:

  • Atrophic vaginitis
  • Cervical polyp
  • Contact dermatitis
  • Entamoeba histolytica infection
  • Excessive desquamation of normal vaginal epithelium
  • Large cervical ectropion
  • Lichen sclerosis
  • Lichen simplex chronicus
  • Vaginal adenosis
  • Vaginal cancer
  • Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia
  • Vaginal ulcers
  • Vaginitis emphysematosa (multiple gas-filled cysts on the vaginal and cervical mucosa)

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Hetal B Gor, MD, FACOG  Obstetrician/Gynecologist, Private Practice

Hetal B Gor, MD, FACOG is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Michel E Rivlin, MD  Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Mississippi School of Medicine

Michel E Rivlin, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Medical Association, Mississippi State Medical Association, and Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

Ann S Botash, MD Director, Child Abuse Referral and Evaluation Program, Professor and Vice Chair for Educational Affairs, Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Upstate Medical University

Ann S Botash, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Ambulatory Pediatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Pediatric Society, Helfer Society, and Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Susanne Ching, MD Staff Physician, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center

Susanne Ching, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pamela L Dyne, MD Professor of Clinical Medicine/Emergency Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center

Pamela L Dyne, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

David S Howes, MD Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, Section Chief and Emergency Medicine Residency Program Director, University of Chicago Division of the Biological Sciences, The Pritzker School of Medicine

David S Howes, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Bruce A Meyer, MD, MBA Executive Vice President for Health System Affairs, Chief Clinical Officer, Interim CEO, University Hospitals; Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School

Bruce A Meyer, MD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Physician Executives, American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Massachusetts Medical Society, Medical Group Management Association, and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Phuong H Nguyen, MD Clinical Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine; Chief of Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center

Phuong H Nguyen, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Medical Association, American Medical Women’s Assocation, and California Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Mark Zwanger, MD, MBA Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University

Mark Zwanger, MD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and American Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

Ann S Botash, MD Director, Child Abuse Referral and Evaluation Program, Professor and Vice Chair for Educational Affairs, Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Upstate Medical University

Ann S Botash, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Ambulatory Pediatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Pediatric Society, Helfer Society, and Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Susanne Ching, MD Staff Physician, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center

Susanne Ching, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pamela L Dyne, MD Professor of Clinical Medicine/Emergency Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center

Pamela L Dyne, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

David S Howes, MD Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, Section Chief and Emergency Medicine Residency Program Director, University of Chicago Division of the Biological Sciences, The Pritzker School of Medicine

David S Howes, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Bruce A Meyer, MD, MBA Executive Vice President for Health System Affairs, Chief Clinical Officer, Interim CEO, University Hospitals; Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School

Bruce A Meyer, MD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Physician Executives, American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Massachusetts Medical Society, Medical Group Management Association, and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Phuong H Nguyen, MD Clinical Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine; Chief of Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center

Phuong H Nguyen, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Medical Association, American Medical Women’s Assocation, and California Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Mark Zwanger, MD, MBA Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University

Mark Zwanger, MD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and American Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References
  1. Vaginitis. NHIOnDemand. Available at http://content.nhiondemand.com/psv/HC2.asp?objID=100638&cType=hc. Accessed 12/8/08.

  2. CDC. Tracking the Hidden Epidemics 2000: Trends in STDs in the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/std/Trends2000/trichomoniasis.htm. Accessed 12/8/2008.

  3. Donati L, Di Vico A, Nucci M, et al. Vaginal microbial flora and outcome of pregnancy. Arch Gynecol Obstet. Apr 2010;281(4):589-600. [Medline].

  4. Islam A, Safdar A, Malik A. Bacterial vaginosis. J Pak Med Assoc. Sep 2009;59(9):601-4. [Medline].

  5. [Best Evidence] Black CM, Driebe EM, Howard LA, et al. Multicenter study of nucleic acid amplification tests for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in children being evaluated for sexual abuse. Pediatr Infect Dis J. Jul 2009;28(7):608-13. [Medline].

  6. Fredricks DN, Fiedler TL, Thomas KK, Oakley BB, Marrazzo JM. Targeted PCR for detection of vaginal bacteria associated with bacterial vaginosis. J Clin Microbiol. Oct 2007;45(10):3270-6. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  7. Angotti LB, Lambert LC, Soper DE. Vaginitis: making sense of over-the-counter treatment options. Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol. 2007;2007:97424. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  8. Sobel JD, Chaim W, Nagappan V, Leaman D. Treatment of vaginitis caused by Candida glabrata: use of topical boric acid and flucytosine. Am J Obstet Gynecol. Nov 2003;189(5):1297-300. [Medline].

  9. Van Kessel K, Assefi N, Marrazzo J, Eckert L. Common complementary and alternative therapies for yeast vaginitis and bacterial vaginosis: a systematic review. Obstet Gynecol Surv. May 2003;58(5):351-8. [Medline].

  10. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Vaginitis. Washington (DC): American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG); May 2006:12 p. (ACOG practice bulletin; no. 72). [Full Text].

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(A) Two trophozoites of Trichomonas vaginalis obtained from in vitro culture, stained with Giemsa. (B) Trophozoite of T vaginalis in vaginal smear, stained with Giemsa. Images courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
 
 
 
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