Can Men Get Bacterial Vaginosis

"My boyfriend and i have been together for about a year. We both claim to be faithful to one another. But i keep getting BV. When I ask my doctor he said I take to many baths and that BV is only found in women. Also I become dry when we have sex and it causes my boyfriend to get this scab on his penis. We both had a STD screening and we both got (-) results. Can someone tell me what's going on." (Ms. Lady)

Answer by Daniel F :

BV is basically caused by an organism called Gardnerella vaginitis. It is NOT considered an STD. Your boyfriend isn;t likely to be able to provide the right environment on/in his body for him to get it. Here is a clipping off the net: (BV) is characterized by the overgrowth of certain bacteria in the vagina, including Gardnerella vaginalis, Gardneralla mobiluncus, and Mycoplasma hominis. Bacterial vaginosis is grossly underdiagnosed because many women assume they have a yeast infection and treat symptoms with over-the-counter medications. 

Incidence and Prevalence 
Bacterial vaginosis accounts for 60% of vulvovaginal infections. Young adult women, particularly those who are sexually active, are most commonly affected. 

Causes and Risk Factors 

BV is caused by a change in the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina. Lactobacillus, helpful bacteria, metabolizes glycogen to lactic acid in the vagina and maintains normal vaginal pH, which provides a natural defense against unhealthy bacteria proliferation. 

When the defense is weakened, other bacteria present in the vagina (e.g., Bacteroides sp, Peptostreptococcus sp, Gardnerella vaginalis, G. mobiluncus, Mycoplasma hominis) proliferate and cause symptoms. About 50% of women have G. vaginalis in their vaginal flora but do not develop infection. 

Broad-spectrum antibiotics may destroy healthy bacteria, disrupt the vagina's normal flora, and promote infection. Douching, overused or retained tampons, intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs), diaphragms, contraceptive sponges, and products containing nonoxynol-9 may also disrupt the balance. 

Bacterial vaginosis also is associated with having multiple sex partners, a new monogamous sexual relationship, and a history of STDs. 

Signs and Symptoms 

A fishy vaginal odor, itching, and irritation are common signs of BV and may be particularly noticeable after intercourse or menses. It may be accompanied by a smooth, sticky white or gray discharge 4 days to 4 weeks following exposure. Elevated vaginal pH level is also a symptom. 

Complications 
BV is associated with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), female infertility, tubal (ectopic) pregnancy, premature birth, and low birth weight in infants born to infected mothers. 

Diagnosis 

Diagnosis is usually made by visual observation and by smell. A pelvic examination is performed to determine whether the cervix is producing abnormal secretions and to check for other diseases. 

Vaginal fluid may be treated with a 10% solution of potassium hydroxide (KOH), which makes the characteristic odor more pronounced. A sample is usually taken for microscopic examination to confirm the presence of bacteria, and pH levels are checked. Most physicians recommend a full STD screening. 

Treatment 

Antibiotics such as metronidazole and clindamycin are generally prescribed, as oral (pill) or topical (cream) treatments. When used topically, these medications may cause side effects such as stinging, burning, and irritation. Douching should be avoided. 

Sex partners may require treatment if infection recurs.

Bacterial Vaginosis Freedom Review by Elena Peterson

Bacterial Vaginosis Freedom Ebook

This is a review of the popular "bacterial vaginosis freedom" eBook, by Elena Peterson. It's frustrating that this eBook is all over the internet - but there are no decent reviews of it!

Bacterial vaginosis can be the bane of your life. If you have ever suffered from this condition you'll know what I'm talking about! Just take a look on popular women's health forums and you'll find that posts for BV (bacterial vaginosis) have an enormous amount of viewings and replies.

So what exactly do you get? The eBook itself is well presented, and has 68 pages. It is written by someone who was a chronic sufferer of BV and has found a cure. You can read the eBook and digest all the information in a couple of hours, depending on how fast you can read. There's no nonsense fill in bits - it's all good information. The aim of the eBook is to cure BV using 3 steps in 3 days. Alas, I'm not able to spill all the beans and tell you the cure - that would be a little unfair and besides would probably result in this review being taken off the internet!

What I can tell you more or less are the contents. The eBook has 4 chapters. The first chapter goes through the specific symptoms and what can cause BV. Elena Peterson has tried many "cures" and seen many medical practitioners, which she talks about in this first chapter - which ends talking about the natural approach and how and why this is the best way for a permanent cure.

Bacterial Vaginosis Freedom Ebook Reviews

I bought the Bacterial Vaginosis Freedom Book by Elena Peterson few weeks ago and overall found it to be very useful for me.

What I really liked about this guide is that unlike most of the bacterial vaginosis cures that I've seen on the internet that only focuses on the signs and symptoms, Elena Peterson's Bacterial Vaginosis Freedom system focuses on the disease itself.

As a result this kind of treatment tackles all the factors responsible for Bacterial Vaginosis from the root and offers permanent solution and not just a quick fix.

I also liked that the methods recommended in the Bacterial Vaginosis Freedom book are all natural and safe without any side effects.

The only thing that I didn't like is that Elena Peterson tells in her website that with her system you will be able to get rid of Bacterial Vaginosis in only 3 days.

I don't think that it's possible in just 3 days and for me it took about 10 days, however the good thing is that until this day it has never returned.

Overall I think that the Bacterial Vaginosis Freedom Book is very useful and for me it was really helpful.

Anyhow, If you want to learn more about the pros and cons of Elena Peterson's Bacterial Vaginosis Freedom system and to actually find if this product is really for you, below is an in depth review about the Bacterial Vaginosis Freedom book that was very helpful for me.

Hope that it helps!

Source(s):

http://www.dgipoolproducts.com/bacterial…

Learn How To Stop Bacterial Vaginosis In 3 Days or Less Without Side Effects.
Click Here

Vaginal infections

If you have pain, itching, or other symptoms around your vagina, don’t try to treat them yourself. Don’t risk your health. See a doctor or other health care provider who can figure out the cause and right treatment.

Signs that you may have an infection include itching, burning, or pain in or around your vagina. If you’ve had sexual contact with someone, these signs may mean that you have a sexually transmitted infection. Not all vaginal infections are caused by sexual contact. But any time you have itching, burning, or pain, you need to see a doctor to get treated. This section explains the types of infections you can get without sexual contact.

• Types of infections
• Ways to avoid infections

Types of infections top

Two common vaginal infections are yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) happens when a certain kind of bacteria (a type of germ) that’s in your vagina grows too much. Possible symptoms include:

• A bad smell from your vagina that might seem “fishy”
• More discharge (fluid) from your vagina than you normally have
• Discharge that is gray or white and “milky”
• Itching around your vagina

What are the possible complications of bacterial vaginosis?

In the majority of cases BV does not cause any complications. The following complications have been linked to BV:

• HIV infection susceptibility - having BV may make a woman more susceptible to HIV infection if she is exposed to the virus.
• Transmitting HIV - females with bacterial vaginosis who are HIV positive are three times more likely to transmit HIV to their male sexual partners than other women, scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, revealed in PLoS Medicine (June 2012 issue).
• Other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - a woman with BV is more susceptible to becoming infected with the herpes simplex virus, Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HPV (human papilloma virus).
• Post-surgical infection - a woman with BV has an increased risk of developing an infection after surgery, such as an abortion or hysterectomy.
• Pregnancy complications - having BV increases the risk of some pregnancy complications, such as:
  
  
  • Giving birth early (preterm delivery)
  • A late miscarriage
  • The amniotic sac breaking open too early
  • Chorioamnionitis - inflammation of the membranes that surround the fetus (chorion and amnion). Significantly increases the risk of preterm labor, and if the child survives, the risk of cerebral palsy.
  • Postpartum endometritis - the lining of the uterus becomes irritated or inflamed after giving birth.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - women with BV are more susceptible to developing PID; infection and inflammation of the upper female genital tract.
• Tubal factor infertility - caused by fallopian tube damage. The fallopian tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus.
• In-vitro fertilization - women with BV may have a lower success rate with IVF. 

Written by Christian Nordqvist
Medical News Today 

What are the treatment options for bacterial vaginosis?

Although anecdotal accounts of effective treatment with Probiotics exist, there is no scientific evidence so far to back this up.

Although bacterial vaginosis can often clear up without treatment, it is advised that all women with BV signs and symptoms be treated to avoid complications. Male partners do not usually require treatment. BV can spread between female sex partners.

BV treatment is especially important for pregnant women. Pregnant women who have had premature births or low weight babies should have a BV examination, even if there are no symptoms.

Some doctors say that all women undergoing a hysterectomy or abortion should be treated for BV before their procedure, regardless of symptoms.

Diagnosing bacterial vaginosis

The National Health Service (NHS), UK, says that a woman who has any abnormal vaginal discharge should see her GP (general practitioner, primary care physician) as soon as possible so that BV can be diagnosed and other infections, such as gonorrhea or trichomonas vaginalis ruled out. In many countries the woman could visit a sexual health clinic for diagnosis (or genitor-urinary medicine clinic), instead of her GP.

The doctor may be able to diagnose BV from a description of symptoms and carrying out a physical examination, during which he/she will look out for an unpleasant smell and a thin, white/gray discharge. If the patient is sexually active and there is a chance she may have an STI (sexually transmitted infection), the doctor may order some diagnostic tests.

Swab (sample) - the doctor uses a swab or small plastic loop to collect sample cells from the vaginal wall. The alkaline/acid balance (pH) of the vagina may also be measured.

Written by Christian Nordqvist Medical News Today

What are the causes of bacterial vaginosis?

We know that bacterial vaginosis is linked to an imbalance in the bacteria that are normally found in a female's vagina - an imbalance in the vagina's naturally occurring bacterial flora. However, nobody fully understands why this imbalance occurs. The vagina usually contains mostly good bacteria and few harmful bacteria - bacterial vaginosis occurs when these harmful bacteria grow in numbers. We do not know what role these harmful bacteria play in causing BV.

A female's vagina should contain lactic acid bacteria, called lactobacilli. These bacteria produce lactic acid, making the vagina slightly acidic, preventing other bacteria from growing there. If the vagina is not as acidic as it should be, other bacteria may have the opportunity to grow. If there are fewer lactobacilli the vagina may become less acidic.

What are the signs and symptoms of bacterial vaginosis?

A symptom is something the patient senses and describes, while a sign is something other people, such as the doctor notice. For example, drowsiness may be a symptom while dilated pupils may be a sign.

Approximately 50% of all women with BV have no symptoms (asymptomatic). If a woman does have symptoms, she does not need to get tested to find out.

The main sign is in the vaginal discharge:

• Vaginal discharge may become watery and thin
• Vaginal discharge may become grey or white 
• Vaginal discharge may have a strong and unpleasant smell, often described as fishy

The following symptoms are possible, but much less common:

  Burning sensation during urination Itching around the outside of the vagina

Written by Christian Nordqvist Medical News Today

What is bacterial vaginosis?

Bacterial vaginosis (BV), also known as vaginal bacteriosis is the most common cause of vaginal infection for women of childbearing age. Although it frequently develops after sexual intercourse with a new partner, bacterial vaginosis is not considered as an STI (sexually transmitted infection). BV is more common in women with multiple partners.

Bacterial vaginosis - not to be confused with candidiasis (yeast infection) or Trichomonas vaginalis (trichomoniasis) which are not caused by bacteria - is caused by an imbalance of naturally occurring bacterial flora (the usual bacteria found in a woman's vagina). Smoking and the use of some hygiene products are linked to a higher risk of developing BV.

According to the National Health Service (NHS), UK, approximately 12% to 30% of adult women in the UK may be affected; about 20% of pregnant women in the UK are affected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA, estimates that about 16% of US women are affected.