Assessing the Prevalence of Bacterial Vaginosis among Infertile Women in Thi- Qar Province, Iraq

Background: This study aimed to elucidate the predominant bacterial species implicated in the etiology of vaginosis and to determine the most effective antimicrobial agents for their therapeutic management in Iraq. Materials & Methods: Swab samples were collected through speculum-assisted vaginal examination. The process involved inserting a swab into the vaginal canal and rotating it for at least eight seconds before pulling it out. Standard procedures including microscopy, culture, and antibiotic sensitivity testing were applied to analyze vaginal swab samples. Findings: Staphylococcus aureus was identified as the most common Gram-positive bacterium involved in bacterial vaginosis (44.3 %). Serratia species, were not detected at all (0.0 %). Among the Gram-negative bacteria, Klebsiella was the most prevalent bacterium (at 18.8%), followed by Escherichia coli at (18.1 %). Candida was detected in 9.4% of cases. In antibiotic susceptibility testing, S. aureus exhibited maximum resistance to imipenem (100%) and high susceptibilitye to penicillin, vancomycin, and clindamycin. Gentamicin was the most effective antibiotic against E. coli and Klebsiella spp, while vancomycin was highly effective against Candida. These results, indicate that the treatment should be directed towards the antibiotics to which the bacteria show the highest sensitivity to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes. Conclusion: S. aureus was identified as the most common vaginal pathogen in Thi-Qar province, followed by Klebsiella spp., and E. coli, respectively. These findings provide valuable insights into the prevalence of different bacterial species and the most effective medications. The results will be invaluable for future prospective investigations.