The Symptoms of Gardnerella

Gardnerella is short for Gardnerella Vaginalis, also called bacterial vaginosis, which infects a woman's vaginal tract. The infection is caused by the abnormal proliferation of certain bacteria which are usually held in check by "good" bacteria and a slightly acid pH level in the vagina. When the normal, healthy conditions become imbalanced, some bacteria including Gardnerella vaginalis, Gardneralla mobiluncus and Mycoplasma hominis can take over and cause an infection.

Vaginal Odor

The most common complaint of women who first notice a problem is a vaginal odor that can be described as musty, "fishy" or pungent. The odor may occur at any time and be noted in secretions on underwear It could also be more apparent at menses or after sexual intercourse.

Vaginal Discharge

The woman with a Gardnerella infection may notice a vaginal discharge along with the vaginal odor noted above. The discharge will seem sticky white or gray in color.

Vaginal Itching & Irritation

Sometimes a Gardnerella infection produces a vaginal irritation or itching that's noticeable, particularly after sexual intercourse or during the menstrual period. However, some women never notice this symptom.

Epithelial Cells

The epithelial cells may show symptoms of the bacterial infection, even when the woman does not notice any symptoms herself. The vaginal secretions, combined with physiologic saline, may display a granulation or stippled effect under a microscope. The effect shows the Gardnerella bacteria.

Lack of Symptoms

In many cases, a woman many be completely unaware that she has a Gardnerella infection or she misdiagnoses the symptoms as having another cause. For example, she may think that she has a yeast infection and treat it herself with an over-the-counter medication. Even if not treated, the Gardnerella infection can disappear on its own and the woman will never know she had it. Or, in some cases, the infection can cause more complications later, particularly in pregnancy.

Diagnosing Symptoms

If there is a question as to the exact cause of a vaginal discharge, itching or other symptoms, a physician can perform a pelvic examination and laboratory tests that will show if the discharge is actually abnormal and show the cause. Microscopic inspection of the vaginal fluid can confirm the presence of Gardnerella vaginalis; treating the vaginal fluid with a solution of potassium hydroxide will make the odor more apparent and pH levels can be checked to see if they are in the normal range, which is usually slightly acidic in a healthy vagina.

More Serious Symptoms

Gardnerella infections are not normally serious. In fact, as noted, they may not cause symptoms or the infection can disappear on its own without the woman being aware she even had it. However, there have been indications that the infection may increase the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infertility, ectopic pregnancies, premature births or babies with a low birth weight. For this reason, pregnant women, in particular, should be tested for infection. In addition, the bacterial infection may also increase the risk of being infected, or infecting a partner, with a sexually-transmitted disease such as HIV, gonorrhea, herpes simplex virus or chlamydia.