Vaginal Wet Mount: What To Think About

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What To Think About

• Some causes of vaginitis are not found by a vaginal wet mount, including atrophic vaginitis and some STDs, such as herpes simplex. Atrophic vaginitis can be found on a vaginal smear when dye is added to the vaginal discharge on the slide. The slide is looked at under a microscope for cell changes that show atrophic vaginitis.
• Sometimes a sample of the vaginal discharge is put in a special cup to see if bacteria, yeast, or trichomonads will grow. This is called a vaginal culture.
• The sex partners of women with trichomoniasis are generally treated for the disease so they do not reinfect their partners after treatment. Some doctors recommend treating the sex partners of women with bacterial vaginosis, but most do not. Partners of women who have vaginal yeast infections are not generally treated for yeast infections. For more information, see the medical test Tests for Bacterial Vaginosis.
• Infections such as chlamydia, genital warts, syphilis, herpes simplex, and gonorrhea can also affect the vagina. For more information, see the medical tests Chlamydia Test, Syphilis Tests, Herpes Tests, Gonorrhea Tests, and Pap Test.
• A vaginal yeast infection can occur after a woman is treated with antibiotics or in a woman whose diabetes is poorly controlled. Recurring yeast infections may be seen when a woman's immune system is weakened. The immune system can be weakened by old age, diseases such as AIDS, or treatment for cancer.

Last updated:	July 15, 2008
Author:	Sandy Jocoy, RN
Reviewed By:	Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine, Deborah A. Penava, BA, MD, FRCSC, MPH - Obstetrics and Gynecology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Tracy Landauer