DISTRIBUTION OF BACTERIA ASSOCIATED WITH ASYMPTOMATIC VAGINITIS AMONG FEMALE STUDENTS IN MADONNA UNIVERSITY

Asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV) has emerged as a global health issue The study determined the distribution of bacteria associated with asymptomatic vaginitis among female students in Madonna University Elele, Rivers State. A total number of one hundred and twenty-seven (127) high vaginal swab samples were collected and analyzed bacteriologically. From these sampled swabs, 52% yielded significant bacterial growth while 48% had no bacterial growth. There was an overall prevalence of 52% of bacterial vaginosis among the subject participants which showed a high prevalence rate of bacterial vaginosis among the students. In this study, the organisms isolated were Staphylococcus aureus 30(45.5%), Escherichia coli 14(21.2%), Streptococcus spp. 11(16.7%), Proteus spp. 9(13.6%) and Klebsiella spp. 2(3%). The most common bacteria isolated from the high vaginal swab of infected subjects in this study was Staphylococcus aureus (45.5%). Highest infection rate was associated with the age group of 18-23 years with a percentage of 57.5%. The distribution of the bacterial isolates based on the hall of residence showed that the students who resided in Emmanuel hostel had a highest frequency and percentage occurrence of asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis 22(33%) while the residents in Edeani hostel had the least frequency and percentage occurrence of asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis 13(20%). The distribution of the bacterial isolates by departments showed that female students from the department of Medical laboratory science had a highest frequency and prevalence of 21(31.8%) while students from the department of public health had the least frequency and prevalence of 5(7.6%). From this study, antimicrobial susceptibility test result of gram-positive isolates revealed that Staphylococcus aureus had the highest antibiotic sensitivity of (100%) to Ampicolx and the least sensitivity rate of (80%) to Gentamycin and Streptomycin. Streptococcus spp. had the highest antibiotics sensitivity of (100%) to Ampicolx and the least sensitivity rate of (45%) to Gentamycin. Antimicrobial susceptibility test result of gram-negative isolates revealed that E. coli had the highest antibiotics sensitivity of (100%) to Augmentin and the least sensitivity to (64%) Septrin. Conclusively, the elevated prevalence of vaginal bacteria in the recent study stress that high vaginal swab culture provides a good laboratory means for the identification of causative bacteria. Further studies are encouraged to identify other bacterial species involved in vaginal infections and determining susceptibility of these species to newly introduced antibiotics.