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Antibiotics to treat yeast infection: Vaginal Yeast Infections: Medicine, Creams, & Pills

Vaginal Yeast Infections: Medicine, Creams, & Pills

You can treat many yeast infections with over-the-counter creams or suppositories that you can buy without a prescription, especially if this isn’t the first time you’ve had a yeast infection and you recognize the symptoms.

But if you get yeast infections often or they’re severe, you may need a prescription medication. Not sure? Then you need to talk to your doctor.

Antifungal Vaginal Creams

For severe yeast infections, your doctor may prescribe an antifungal vaginal cream. These usually come packaged with an applicator that helps you measure the right dose.

You can get a range of similar yeast infection medications without a prescription, too. Some are creams you apply inside the vagina. Others are suppositories or vaginal tablets you place in your vagina and let dissolve.

There are also creams that cover different strains of yeast. You’ll have to have a prescription for these:

In general, the more concentrated the drug, the shorter the time you have to take it. A vaginal cream that has the number 7 after its name, for instance, would usually be used for 7 days. If the same product name had a 3, it would be a more concentrated version of the vaginal cream and you’d only need it for 3 days.

Your doctor may also prescribe a steroid cream for a few days to ease more severe inflammation, redness, and soreness at the opening of the vagina and of the surrounding tissue, called the vulva. 

Oral Antifungal Medications

If you have a severe infection, your doctor might prescribe an oral medication. The new drug ibrexafungerp (Brexafemme) is taken twice a day for one day and targets the specific fungal cells behind the infection. Fluconazole (Diflucan) is a single dose pill which kills fungus and yeast throughout your body. Side effects for either include stomach upset, diarrhea. or headaches, for a short time afterward.

You shouldn’t take either of these oral medications to treat yeast infections if you’re pregnant, because it may cause miscarriage or birth defects.

Medication Tips

Take the full course. Use all the pills or creams, even if your symptoms go away before you run out of the medicine.

Keep in mind that vaginal creams, vaginal tablets, and suppositories may be made with oil, which can damage condoms and diaphragms. So you’ll need to use another birth control method or not have sex during treatment if you don’t want to get pregnant.

Never take any medication — or even use a nonprescription vaginal cream — while you’re pregnant unless you’ve to your doctor first.

When to Call Your Doctor

Reach out to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about your prescription and how to take your medicine. Check in with your doctor’s office if your symptoms don’t disappear after you finish taking all your medicine as prescribed.

See your doctor if you have four or more vaginal yeast infections in one year. It could be a condition called “recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis.” It’s not common, but if you have it, you may need to take an antifungal medication for up to 6 months.

Frequent, repeated yeast infections can also be a sign of a resistant strain or more serious condition, including untreated diabetes. Your doctor can help you figure out what the problem is.

10 Ways to Prevent Candidal Vulvovaginitis

If you’re like 75% of women, you’ll get at least one yeast infection during your lifetime. Half will get two or more.

You’re more likely to get one when you:

It may not be possible for all women to prevent yeast infections, but here’s what you can do to lower your odds.

  1. Wear breathable underwear. Cotton is your best choice. It doesn’t hold onto heat or moisture. It will help keep you dry.
  2. Keep things loose. Make sure your jeans, skirts, underwear, yoga pants, tights, pantyhose, etc. aren’t too snug. They can boost your body temperature and increase the amount of moisture around your private parts. That raises your chances for a yeast infection.
  3. Don’t douche. “Feminine hygiene products” like douches can disrupt the balance of bacteria in your vagina by removing some of the good bacteria that’s supposed to be there to fight off infections. And skip the scent in feminine products. This includes bubble baths, soaps, sprays, tampons, and pads.
  4. Avoid hot tubs and extra hot baths. Hot and damp are never your friends.
  5. Change out of wet clothes. Don’t sit in a wet bathing suit after you go swimming or damp workout gear after the gym. Change into dry clothes right away.
  6. In the bathroom, always wipe from front to back.
  7. When on your period, change your tampons, pads, and panty liners often.
  8. Manage your diabetes. If you have it, be sure to keep an eye on your blood sugar levels and keep them under control.
  9. Use antibiotics only when you have to. You don’t need them for conditions like a cold, because they don’t do anything against a virus. If you don’t have to, don’t take them.
  10. Eat yogurt that contains active cultures to add to the good bacteria that help your body control yeast.

Antibiotics for Yeast Infection – PlushCare

A yeast infection, also known as vaginal candidiasis, is a vaginal infection.

In 92% of cases the infection is caused by a type of yeast called Candida albicans. The remainder of yeast infections are caused by a fungus known as Candida.

These fungi are normally present in warm and moist areas of the human body and between 20% to 50% of all women carry this yeast without having any associated symptoms.

However, when Candida albicans multiplies out of control, it causes an infection and can lead to inflammation, itching, discharge, and an unpleasant odor.

The short answer is no.

Antibiotics can actually trigger a yeast infection in some cases. Your vagina normally maintains a natural balance of yeast and a beneficial bacterium called lactobacillus which keeps the environment in your vagina slightly acidic. This acidic environment helps keep the overgrowth of yeast at bay and maintains a healthy equilibrium.

However, when you take antibiotics for an ailment such as a sinus infection or bronchitis, it disturbs your body’s natural balance by killing off your system’s good bacteria supply of Lactobacillus. This can cause a less acidic environment in your vagina and lead to an overgrowth of C. albicans which gives you a yeast infection.

Treatment for a Yeast Infection

The treatment for a yeast infection will vary, depending on the frequency and severity of your infection.

If your yeast infection symptoms are mild, treatment might include:

Single-dose oral medication – Your doctor may offer you a prescription of a single dose of oral fluconazole.

A short course of antifungal medication – A yeast infection will usually clear up with a three to seven-day course of antifungal medication such as miconazole (Monistat 3) or terconazole. This medication is available as an ointment, cream, suppositories, or as tablets.

If your symptoms are more severe, your symptoms have not resolved after two months, or if you experience recurring yeast infections, your doctor may recommend the following:

  • Multi-dose oral medication – A treatment of two to three doses of antifungal medication that is taken orally. This is not recommended for women who are pregnant.
  • Long-course vaginal therapy – A treatment of an antifungal medication that is taken daily for up to 14 days, followed by once a week for up to six months.
  • Azole resident therapy – A capsule consisting of boric acid that is inserted into your vagina. This medication is used to fight off the candida fungus that has been resistant to other treatments.

How Online Medication for a Yeast Infection Works

Luckily, if you have a yeast infection from taking antibiotics you can skip the doctor’s office and use a tele healthcare website such as Plushcare.com to meet with a doctor online. A world-class doctor can help treat your yeast infection symptoms easily and with discretion.

At your scheduled appointment you’ll meet with the doctor via video chat and discuss your past medical history and current symptoms. Your Plushcare doctor will assess your symptoms and may offer you a prescription for medication that you can pick up from your local pharmacy.


Read More About Yeast Infections


How to prevent a yeast infection from antibiotics

If you have strep throat, a sinus infection, or another bacterial infection, your doctor might prescribe antibiotics to cure it. Antibiotics are very useful drugs that kill off the harmful bacteria that causes illness. Unfortunately, they can also destroy your body’s so-called “good” bacteria in the process. 

Because of this, antibiotics often come with some unpleasant side effects, including nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, and yes, yeast infections. If you’ve experienced them, you’ve probably wondered, “Is there any way to prevent a yeast infection from antibiotics?” Read on to learn how.

What is a yeast infection?

Vaginal yeast infections, or candidiasis, are fungal infections of the vagina. They are caused by a fungus called Candida. This fungus is always present in the vagina, and usually it exists happily among the many good bacteria that balance it out. However, when a woman takes antibiotics that kill off all that natural biome, the Candida might start to grow out of control. When that happens, you get a yeast infection. 

If you are not already familiar with the symptoms of yeast infection, consider yourself lucky. They are very uncomfortable and can include:

  • Intense itching in and around the vagina, including the vulva
  • Irritation
  • Burning
  • Pain or discomfort when urinating
  • Pain during intercourse
  • White, clumpy discharge that smells like bread

In extreme cases, yeast infections can cause redness, swelling, and cracks in the vaginal wall.

Why do you get a yeast infection from antibiotics?

A woman’s vagina maintains its own balanced mix of yeast and bacteria. “Antibiotics can destroy bacteria that protect the vagina, or may alter the balance of bacteria present,” says Dr. Janelle Luk, medical director and co-founder of Generation Next Fertility in New York City.

She explains that a type of bacteria called Lactobacillus keeps the vagina slightly acidic, which keeps the yeast at bay. But broad-spectrum antibiotics change all that. They destroy the bad bacteria causing your illness. But they also wipe out beneficial bacteria, including Lactobacillus. When there is less Lactobacillus in your vagina, it becomes less acidic, and therefore a perfect environment for yeast.

Which antibiotics cause yeast infections?

Do all antibiotics cause yeast infections? It’s a good question—especially if there are multiple options available to treat your condition. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are most likely to throw off your body’s natural bacterial balance, such as:

  • Amoxicillin
  • Carbapenems (like imipenem)
  • Tetracyclines
  • Quinolones (like ciprofloxacin)

Some inhaled steroidal treatments for asthma can increase risk of an oral yeast infection.

RELATED: Amoxicillin coupons | Imipenem coupons | Tetracycline coupons | Ciprofloxacin coupons 

Preventing a yeast infection from antibiotics

First and foremost, you should know that the benefits of antibiotics far outweigh the risk of side effects. Even though antibiotics might cause yeast infections, it is still important to take the medication as your doctor prescribed to fully treat a bacterial infection. Failure to finish an antibiotic prescription can cause something called antibiotic resistance. This means that your bacterial infection might become resistant to the drug and much more difficult to cure. 

RELATED: What happens if you don’t finish antibiotics?

However, it is possible to prevent some side effects, including yeast infection. “To help prevent yeast infections, make sure to avoid wearing wet bathing suits or underwear, as moisture will allow yeast to grow,” Dr. Luk says. “Also, be sure to avoid hot tubs or hot baths, since yeast also forms in warm environments. Be sure to wear loose-fitting clothing, and avoid vaginal deodorant products such as sprays, powders, or scented pads and tampons.”  

Rebecca Berens, MD, assistant professor of Family and Community Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, says your doctor can also prescribe “an antifungal pill called Diflucan to take concurrently with your antibiotic prescription.” 

Dr. Luk says it’s good to preemptively speak with your doctor about a Diflucan prescription if you experience yeast infections often. And she says that if Diflucan doesn’t work, another solution could be to use an over-the-counter antifungal cream, such as Monistat. “You may also try eating yogurt, as this will replenish the good bacteria in your vagina,” says Dr. Luk.

6 tips to prevent yeast infection from antibiotics

Antibiotics have a lot of uses. They treat dangerous bacterial infections, and the benefits far outweigh the risks. But it is possible to prevent some of the side effects, including yeast infection, by:

  1. Avoiding hot tubs or hot baths
  2. Wearing loose clothing
  3. Changing out of wet bathing suits or underwear
  4. Skipping feminine hygiene products, like douches
  5. Avoiding vaginal deodorant products such as sprays, powders, or scented pads and tampons
  6. Wearing breathable underwear and fabrics, like cotton

And, if your doctor prescribes an antibiotic, be sure to ask about prevention and treatment options, such as Diflucan and Monistat.

Get the SingleCare prescription discount card

RELATED: Diflucan coupons | What is Diflucan? | Monistat coupons | What is Monistat?

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Recurrent Vaginal Yeast Infections | HealthLink BC

Topic Overview

A vaginal yeast infection is thought to be recurrent when:

  • You have had four or more infections within 1 year.
  • The infections have caused symptoms.
  • The infections are not related to the use of antibiotics.

If you have a recurrent vaginal yeast infection, your doctor may do a culture to confirm that yeast is present. You may also be tested for certain conditions that could be making you more vulnerable to yeast overgrowth, such as diabetes.

Recurrent vaginal yeast infections may be treated with:footnote 1

  • Fluconazole. You take a 150 mg dose of fluconazole by mouth, once every 3 days for three doses.
  • Vaginal medicines for 10 to 14 days.
  • Boric acid. You use a 300 to 600 mg gelatin capsule placed in the vagina once a day for 14 days.

The first treatment is then followed by at least 6 months of maintenance therapy. This could be oral or vaginal medicines.

Some women who are treated for recurrent yeast infections do not see their symptoms improve. These women may have another condition that is causing symptoms like those of a yeast infection. Further testing and treatment may be needed.

References

Citations

  1. Expert Working Group on Canadian Guidelines for Sexually Transmitted Infections (2013). Canadian guidelines on sexually transmitted infections: Section 4—Management and treatment of specific syndromes. Public Health Agency of Canada. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/std-mts/sti-its/cgsti-ldcits/section-4-8-eng.php. Accessed May 22, 2015.

Other Works Consulted

  • Expert Working Group on Canadian Guidelines for Sexually Transmitted Infections (2013). Canadian guidelines on sexually transmitted infections: Section 4—Management and treatment of specific syndromes. Public Health Agency of Canada. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/std-mts/sti-its/cgsti-ldcits/section-4-8-eng.php. Accessed May 22, 2015.

Credits

Current as of:
July 17, 2020

Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Kathleen Romito MD – Family Medicine
Anne C. Poinier MD – Internal Medicine
Adam Husney MD – Family Medicine
Martin J. Gabica MD – Family Medicine
Deborah A. Penava BA, MD, FRCSC, MPH – Obstetrics and Gynecology

Current as of: July 17, 2020

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review:Kathleen Romito MD – Family Medicine & Anne C. Poinier MD – Internal Medicine & Adam Husney MD – Family Medicine & Martin J. Gabica MD – Family Medicine & Deborah A. Penava BA, MD, FRCSC, MPH – Obstetrics and Gynecology

Expert Working Group on Canadian Guidelines for Sexually Transmitted Infections (2013). Canadian guidelines on sexually transmitted infections: Section 4-Management and treatment of specific syndromes. Public Health Agency of Canada. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/std-mts/sti-its/cgsti-ldcits/section-4-8-eng.php. Accessed May 22, 2015.

9 Effective Ways to Treat and Fend Off Yeast Infections for Good

Walter B. McKenzie/Getty Images

This article was written by Marisa Cohen and provided by our partners at Prevention.

What exactly is a vaginal yeast infection? Yeast live in the vagina all the time in small, harmless numbers. But when these fungi grow out of control, the resulting itchiness, burning, and redness are extremely uncomfortable. In some cases, a thick, white, odorless discharge, resembling cottage cheese, also appears. Lactobacillus bacteria (a healthy type) normally keep the vagina’s pH and yeast levels in check.

But the balance can be tipped by antibiotics, corticosteroids, uncontrolled diabetes, or raised estrogen levels from birth control or pregnancy. Yet, in many cases, there’s no easily identified culprit for the pesty yeast infection. (Looking for answers to embarrassing health questions? Prevention has you covered.)

Here’s what’s new, what’s natural, and what’s tried-and-true in the battle to beat vaginal yeast infections:

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Oral Antifungal

For 5 percent of women, vaginal yeast infections are chronic, returning at least four times a year. In a study at Wayne State University School of Medicine, women with a history of recurrent episodes took the oral antifungal fluconazole (Diflucan) weekly for six months; during that time, the rate of recurring infection dropped 90 percent. Six months afterward, 43 percent were considered cured, compared with 22 percent of those taking a placebo. (Maintenance therapy with OTC creams, although messier than pills, has also been found effective.)

RELATED: 5 Reasons It Hurts Down There

Probiotics

Many yogurts contain the same type of probiotics that keeps the vagina healthy, yet studies have not been able to prove effectively that eating a daily cup offers any benefit for vaginal yeast infection treatment. But in a recent Italian study, women with chronic yeast infections who placed a probiotic tablet directly in the vagina (once a night for seven nights, then every three nights for three weeks, and then once a week) saw their rates of yeast infection drop by 87 percent. Laurie Cullen, a naturopathic physician and a professor at Bastyr University, suggests treating an infection with a conventional therapy first, and then trying a Lactobacillus pill (such as Jarrow Fem-Dophilus, which can be found at drug and health-food stores) to maintain a healthy vaginal environment.

Home Screening

While women often self-diagnose a vaginal yeast infection, in many cases, “they actually have bacterial vaginosis, which has similar symptoms but, unlike a yeast infection, needs to be treated with antibiotics,” says Jennifer Reinhold, Pharm.D. Urinary tract infections also have overlapping symptoms (pain and burning, though not discharge), but they, too, require different medications. A home vaginal swab that measures pH levels, taken with an OTC test such as the Vagisil Screening Kit, can confirm a yeast infection diagnosis. But health experts recommend that women with complicating factors, such as pregnancy or recurrent infections, schedule a doctor visit.

Tea Tree Oil

The essential oil derived from tea tree leaves has been shown in several lab and animal studies to act as an antifungal against yeast. While more studies need to be done to prove the oil’s efficacy, some women report that they get yeast infection relief from inserting a tampon doused in tea tree oil at night. Try this with caution, Cullen advises: “The vagina is very sensitive, so I would hesitate to put something that might be irritating in an already irritated environment.” If you find this home remedy uncomfortable, discontinue it immediately.

Boric Acid Suppository

“For uncomplicated yeast infections, my top-shelf treatment is boric acid,” says Cullen. The substance is a natural antifungal and antiseptic, and studies have shown that it inhibits the growth of Candida albicans, the strain of yeast behind most cases of the infection, as well as other kinds, such as Candida glabrata, an increasingly common cause of infection that tends to be more resistant to other treatments. The powder, an irritant, should never be applied directly; look for a suppository capsule that contains it, such as Vitanica Yeast Arrest (sold at health-food stores), and use for only five to seven days.

Cotton Underwear (or none)

A warm, moist environment may push a yeasty infection colony into overdrive, so the age-old advice—wear cotton-lined underwear, avoid panty hose and tight jeans, and change out of wet swimsuits and gym clothes right away—still stands. Or, if you’re up for it, go commando. “I’m a big fan of wearing long skirts with no underwear to let air get to the perineal area for women who have a history of chronic infections,” says Jill Rabin, M.D., head of urogynecology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and the author of Mind Over Bladder. She advises against using scented douches, body sprays, and the like, which can disrupt vaginal pH levels. Rabin also suggests showering with an unscented soap after sex (especially oral sex) to avoid letting someone else’s bacteria set up shop.

RELATED: Can A Bikini Wax Give You An STI?

Progestin-Only Birth Control

Estrogen-based contraception, such as combination birth control pills, may cause an uptick in yeast. “If a patient is very reliant on her method of birth control, we’ll work around it, but it is worth considering nonestrogen methods such as progestin-only mini pills and IUDs,” says Cullen. Spermicides, which can alter the vaginal environment, may also present problems. Birth control aside, Cullen recommends using a lubricant (water-based only; avoid yeast-friendly glycerin) during sex: “Friction can upset the ecology of the vagina.”

Drugstore Antifungals

The gold-standard treatment for most vaginal yeast infection cases is any one of the creams or suppositories lining drugstore shelves. These products use drugs called azoles, antifungals that have been proven to clear up 80 to 90 percent of yeast infections. The type of azole varies brand to brand (miconazole is used in Monistat; clotrimazole, in Gyne-Lotrimin), and treatment can span one to seven days. Each is equally effective for a patient with an uncomplicated vaginal yeast infection, so buyers can choose the least expensive, says Reinhold.

One other factor: If you’re particularly itchy, you may prefer a soothing cream. Women with recurrent infections, which are harder to treat, should choose the seven-day option, says Reinhold. If the infection doesn’t abate, make an appointment: A doctor can determine whether it is yeast at all, and then match the strain to the most effective medication (prescribing Terconazole cream, for example, to thwart non-albicans strains).

Prescription Tablets

Certain vaginal yeast infections may require a more aggressive treatment than a cream. Your doctor can prescribe one to three doses of the oral antifungal fluconazole, which has a success rate of up to 90 percent, according to the CDC. If your infection is chronic, “your doctor can give you a standing prescription,” says Reinhold. Having a prescription at the ready may also be worthwhile when starting a course of antibiotics if on previous occasions the drugs prompted a yeast infection.

Marisa Cohen
Marisa Cohen is a Contributing Editor in the Hearst Health Newsroom, who has covered health, nutrition, parenting, and the arts for dozens of magazines and web sites over the past two decades.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

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90,000 What you need to know about gardnerellosis (bacterial vaginosis)

Gardnerellosis is a fairly common disease that affects many women. The symptoms are very similar to those that occur with a typical yeast infection: the patient suffers from vaginal discharge with an unpleasant smell of rotten fish; considerable discomfort is caused by itching and swelling of the genitals. Misinterpreted symptoms of bacterial vaginosis can lead to inappropriate treatments. At the same time, there is a big difference between these two diseases: candidiasis is caused by yeast cultures, gardnerellosis is an infection of bacterial origin, so the approach to its elimination needs a completely different one!

Therefore, it is extremely important to see a doctor in a timely manner to rule out any doubts, whether you are dealing with gardnerellosis or any other infection. Only after the correct diagnosis has been received from a specialist can the treatment of this condition begin.

Why does gardnerellosis occur?

The main causes of bacterial vaginosis are still not 100% known.

Therefore, we list only the factors predisposing to the disease.

Chronic antibiotic use is a common cause of bacterial vaginosis. Vaginosis occurs due to an imbalance between good and bad bacteria. Antibiotics do not differentiate the origin of bacteria. Medicines kill both types of bacteria. However, then the harmful bacteria regenerate much faster than the good bacteria, so the condition is likely to return.
Low immunity can also play a role in . It is speculated that frequent unprotected sex with a variety of partners may increase the likelihood of the condition developing.
Frequent douching. If you abuse this type of treatment, do not be surprised if unpleasant changes occur in the body after a certain time. The beneficial bacteria are washed out, which means that the environment for the development of infection is more than beneficial!
In addition to these aspects, the list also includes an unhealthy lifestyle, unhealthy diet, bad habits, overeating and an abundance of fast food in the diet.
Treatment.

Self-medication is unacceptable in the treatment of gardnerellosis. The positive aspect of bacterial vaginosis therapy is its simplicity and effectiveness. Unfortunately, many women rely entirely on antibiotics to fight this disease. But it is more likely to get rid of the pathology completely thanks to the use of home remedies. Therefore, the most effective method of eliminating pathology will be the use of a combination of both.
There is currently no absolute evidence of the ability of probiotics to treat and participate in the prevention of bacterial vaginosis.

Antibiotic therapy.
Metronidazole is the most commonly used antibiotic in the treatment of BV. It comes in three forms. It is:

  • tablets: should be taken twice a day for a week;
  • one large dose in single tablet form: to be taken only once;
  • gel: apply once a day – lubricate the walls of the vagina, after preliminary hygiene procedures.

When breastfeeding, metronidazole gel is the most suitable option. As a rule, taking pills is prohibited, as it affects breast milk.
Some clinical cases suggest the appointment of another antibiotic, clindamycin, instead of metronidazole. In the form of a cream, it is applied inside the vagina once a day for 10 days. It is also prescribed when the patient has an individual intolerance to metronidazole.
No matter how long the course of the prescribed antibiotics is, it is important to complete it, even if you notice an improvement in your well-being.This will help reduce the likelihood of persistent or recurrent symptoms.
Side effects.
Metronidazole can cause nausea, vomiting, and a slight metal taste. Therefore, it is more advisable to take it after meals. Tell your doctor if vomiting accompanies treatment. He will recommend an alternative treatment.
Vaginal pH correction.
This method of treatment is the use of a special gel that changes the acid balance, making it a less beneficial environment for harmful bacteria.However, to date it has not been established how effective these procedures are.
If episodes of gardnerellosis recur in a short period of time, the gynecologist may refer you to a urologist for a second examination and treatment.
Diet therapy.
At the time of antibiotic therapy, it is important to exclude the use of fermented milk products and those that cause the fermentation process in the intestines.
Gardnerellosis is not transmitted during intimacy. The success of his treatment directly depends on the diagnosis and well-chosen means.

For consultation, choose a clinic convenient for you and make an appointment with our gynecologist:

Bacterial Vaginosis – Center for Disease Control and Prevention Fact Sheet

Any woman can get bacterial vaginosis. Bacterial vaginosis can increase the likelihood of developing a sexually transmitted disease.

What is bacterial vaginosis?

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) (https: // www.cdc.gov/std/bv/default.htm) is a condition in which a large number of certain bacteria accumulate in the vagina. At the same time, the microflora of the vagina changes.

How common is bacterial vaginosis?

Bacterial vaginosis is the most common vaginal infection in women aged 15-44 years.

How is bacterial vaginosis spread?

Researchers do not know what causes BV or how it occurs in some women.However, we know for sure that sexually active women often suffer from the disease. BV is associated with an imbalance of “good” and “bad” bacteria that are normally found in a woman’s vagina. Having a new sex partner or multiple sex partners, as well as douching, can upset the balance of bacteria in the vagina. This puts the woman at high risk of developing BV.

We also do not know how sexual activity contributes to the development of BV. There is no research data that would confirm that treatment of a sexual partner affects the occurrence of BV in a woman.BV can increase the risk of other STDs.

BV rarely occurs in women who have never had sex.

BV cannot develop from contact with toilet seats, bedding, or swimming in swimming pools.

How can I avoid bacterial vaginosis?

Neither doctors nor scientists know for sure how BV spreads. There is no known way to prevent it.

The following simple preventive measures can help reduce the risk of developing BV:

  • abstinence from sex,
  • limitation of the number of sexual partners, and
  • refusal to douch.

I am pregnant. How does bacterial vaginosis affect my baby?

A pregnant woman can develop bacterial vaginosis. Pregnant women with BV are more likely to have a premature (early) baby with low birth weight than women without BV. Low birth weight refers to a child’s birth weight less than 2.5 kg.

Treatment is especially important for pregnant women.(https://www.cdc.gov/std/bv/default.htm)

How do I know if I have bacterial vaginosis?

Many women with BV are asymptomatic. However, if you have symptoms, you may note:

  • Watery vaginal discharge, white or gray;
  • pain, itching, or burning in the vagina;
  • strong fish-like odor, especially after intercourse;
  • burning while urinating;
  • 90,039 itching outside the vagina.

How will my doctor know if I have bacterial vaginosis?

A healthcare professional will examine your vagina for signs of discharge. Your doctor may also do a number of laboratory tests with a sample of vaginal fluid to look for BV.

Can bacterial vaginosis be cured?

Sometimes BV can go away without treatment. But if you have BV symptoms, you need to be tested and treated.It is important that you take all your prescribed medicines, even if your symptoms have disappeared. A healthcare professional can treat BV with antibiotics, but even after treatment, BV can recur. Treatment can also reduce the risk of developing certain STDs.

Male sex partners of women diagnosed with BV generally do not need treatment. BV can be transmitted between sexual partners.

What happens if I do not receive treatment?

BV can cause some serious health risks, including:

  • increase the likelihood that you will get HIV (https: // www.cdc.gov/std/hiv/default.htm) if you have had sexual intercourse with someone who is infected with HIV;
  • If you are HIV positive, it may increase the likelihood of transmitting HIV to your sex partner;
  • If you have BV during pregnancy, it may increase the likelihood of preterm birth;
  • increase the likelihood of contracting other STDs such as chlamydia (https://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/default.htm) or gonorrhea (https://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/default.htm) …These bacteria can sometimes cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) (https://www.cdc.gov/std/pid/stdfact-pid.htm), which can make it difficult or impossible for you to have children.

Thrush after taking antibiotics: treatment

CDC “IntegraMed” (formerly NDC) offers services for the treatment of thrush after taking antibiotics. We apply therapeutic protocols with proven effectiveness. We have everything necessary for diagnostics and treatment.

Candidiasis, or thrush, is an infectious disease caused by yeast-like microscopic fungi of the genus Candida. It occurs in warm and humid areas of the body with limited air access. In adults, it most often affects the mucous membranes of the genital organs. Women get sick more often than men.

The most common form of candidiasis is vaginal thrush. Signs of illness:

  • Cheesy discharge with a sour odor from the vagina;
  • itching, redness, swelling, sometimes pain at the entrance to the vulva;
  • burning when urinating;
  • pulling pains in the lower abdomen;
  • discomfort during sexual intercourse.

Antibiotics as a cause of thrush

Normally, limited colonies of Candida fungi are present in the human body and do not cause discomfort. Equilibrium coexistence can be disturbed under the influence of a number of factors. The resulting imbalance gives an impetus to the development of the disease. One of the most common causes of vaginal candidiasis is taking antibacterial drugs.

Broad-spectrum antibiotics have a detrimental effect on both pathogenic microbes and beneficial microorganisms.Under the influence of antibacterial substances in the body, the acid-base balance changes. This creates an optimal background for the imbalance of the internal microflora – in particular, the activation and aggressive growth of Candida fungi.

Treatment and prevention of thrush after antibiotics

With a timely visit to the doctor, thrush from antibiotics is treated with local antifungal drugs – vaginal suppositories, ointments, tablets.

An important component of the treatment of thrush that has arisen after taking antibiotics is diet therapy.Sweets, fruits, flour products, alcohol, as well as dishes containing yeast, salty and spicy foods are excluded from the diet. The daily menu includes:

  • fermented milk products;
  • at least 600 g of vegetables;
  • at least 2 liters of still water.

To prevent recurrence of candidiasis, it is recommended to adhere to a healthy lifestyle:

  • Do not use antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription, do not violate the regimen of their intake;
  • observe the rules of personal hygiene;
  • Wear cotton underwear in size;
  • sleep at least 7-8 hours a day;
  • be outdoors daily;
  • avoid accidental unprotected sex.

Scientists have proposed to treat cancer with antibiotics – Siberia |

Moscow. May 25. INTERFAX – Scientists at the University of Illinois at Chicago have found that antibiotics used to treat common bacterial infections such as pneumonia and sinusitis can also be used to treat other diseases such as cancer, the university said.

Scientists have shown that ribosomes – protein “factories” in eukaryotic, that is, the nucleated cells that make up fungi, plants and animals, can be modified to respond to antibiotics in the same way as ribosomes of prokaryotic cells, which include bacteria.

Study co-author, professor of medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy, Alexander Mankin, notes that some antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections bind to the ribosome of bacterial cells and very selectively block protein synthesis, as a result of which the bacterium dies.

“Since there are many human diseases caused by the expression of unwanted proteins – this is common in many cancers or neurodegenerative diseases, for example – we wanted to know if an antibiotic could be used to stop a human cell from producing unwanted proteins, and only unwanted proteins.” – the words of the scientist are given in the message.

To answer this question, Mankin and Associate Professor of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Maxim Svetlov, as well as partners from Germany and Switzerland, designed the yeast ribosome so that it looks more like a bacterium.

Mankin and Svetlov’s team used biochemistry and fine genetics to change one nucleotide out of over 7,000 in yeast ribosomal RNA. This was enough to force the antibiotic to act on the yeast ribosome.

Using genomic profiling and structural analysis, scientists have established that, depending on the specific genetic signature of a protein – the presence of a “good” or “bad” sequence – antibiotics can be used to selectively inhibit protein synthesis in human cells and to treat human diseases caused by ” bad “proteins.

“Now that we know the concepts work, we can look for antibiotics that can bind to unmodified eukaryotic ribosomes and optimize them to inhibit only those proteins that are harmful to humans,” Mankin said.

90,000 “Antibiotics cannot cope with a new infection” – Yandex.Q

Candida auris is a type of Candida yeast. Where it came from and how to deal with it, while no one knows.

C.auris was opened in 2009, calls the so-called. invasive candidiasis, which infects the bloodstream, the central nervous system, and internal organs. C. auris targets people with weakened immune systems and serious chronic illnesses. In 60-70% of cases, therapy does not work: the diagnosis is difficult (in structure, the fungus is similar to other types of Candida), and the patient receives the wrong treatment; the fungus shows antibiotic resistance. Refers to nosocomial infections (nosocomial infections), cases of detection outside medical institutions are almost not recorded.

Over the past 5 years, C. auris has been reported in the neonatal ward of a Venezuelan hospital,

sowed real panic

in a Spanish hospital, caused the closure of the intensive care unit of a British medical center and

continued on his way

towards India, Pakistan and South Africa. In the United States, an outbreak of a new infection is observed in New York, New Jersey and Illinois. Here C. auris has already hit

list of “serious threats”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

An elderly man was admitted to the intensive care unit of the Mount Sinai Medical Complex in New York last May. A blood test showed Candida auris. The treatment was ineffective, and the patient died 3 months later. After examining the ward, doctors found the fungus on almost all surfaces – walls, ceiling, bed, mattress, doors, curtains, telephones, medical equipment. Its growth was so aggressive that it required a full-scale disinfection with the dismantling of ceiling and floor tiles.

Overuse of antibiotics

reduces the effectiveness of drugs

aimed at treating bacterial infections. Experts in the field of public health are constantly talking about this from tribunes of varying heights and significance – not for years, for decades. But lately there has been a real

outbreak of fungal infections

resistant to antibiotic therapy. This completely undermines the belief of theorists and practitioners of modern medicine that we will someday learn to fight infections of the first level (deadly) danger about as easily as we learned to defeat throat infections and thrush.Fungi, like bacteria, learn too quickly to develop defense mechanisms to survive.

WHO: Drug Resistance – Resistance of a microorganism to an antimicrobial drug that was initially effective.

Drug-resistant microbes are called superbugs. The infections they cause are dangerous for people with reduced immunity, including the elderly and newborns, smokers, people with diabetes, and patients with autoimmune disorders who take steroids that suppress the body’s defenses.

If effective drugs are not developed soon, the pace will not decline

unnecessary use of antimicrobial drugs

, the risk of developing antibiotic resistance will also increase in relatively healthy people. Forecasts are disappointing: by 2050, up to 10 million people may die from infections that are resistant to treatment.

They claim up to 700 thousand lives annually.

Other strains of Candida known to scientists do not show significant drug resistance.But more than 90% of them are resistant to at least one drug, 30% to two or more. According to the CDC, about half of patients diagnosed with C. auris (symptoms – fever, pain, fatigue, feeling tired) died within 90 days.

Where C. auris came from is still unknown. There is a version (the Dutch

microbiologist Jacques Mays

) that drug-resistant fungi are actively developing and spreading due to the widespread use of chemicals aimed at combating fungal plant diseases –

fungicides

Nearly all health facilities that have experienced an outbreak of C. auris have not publicly reported it, worrying about their own image.

“Why the hell are we reading about an outbreak nearly a year and a half later, and not the day after it happened?” – Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, chairman of Health Watch USA, a nonprofit advocating for patients. “You wouldn’t tolerate it if it was about a restaurant and an outbreak of food poisoning …”

Pictured: Dr. Sean Lockhart, fungal expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, holding a microscope slide with inactive Candida auris.

Photo by Melissa Golden – for The New York Times

Material provided

medchannel.ru

90 099 90 000 causes of appearance, symptoms of the disease, diagnosis and treatment methods

IMPORTANT!

The information in this section cannot be used for self-diagnosis and self-medication. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, only the attending physician should prescribe diagnostic tests.For a diagnosis and correct treatment, you should contact your doctor.

Colpitis: causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

Definition

Colpitis, or vaginitis, is an inflammation of the vaginal mucosa caused by various infectious agents. The disease can be provoked or aggravated by thermal and mechanical factors: overheating, hypothermia, daily use of sanitary napkins, wearing synthetic underwear, tight trousers, trauma to the vaginal mucosa during sexual intercourse.

Causes of colpitis

Normally, a woman’s vagina is non-sterile, there is microflora on its mucous membrane. The basis of the normal microflora of the vagina of a healthy woman is lactobacillus. They perform a protective function – they provide an acidic reaction of vaginal secretions (it is optimal for lactobacilli) and compete with pathogenic microorganisms for space and nutrients. In smaller quantities, the vagina contains bifidobacteria, staphylococci, streptococci, enterobacteria, bacteroids, candida, etc.

The level of female sex hormones estrogen affects, among other things, the properties of the vaginal mucosa. Accordingly, with a decrease in their level (primarily with menopause), mucosal atrophy develops, the number of lactobacilli in the vagina decreases, which leads to the risk of developing colpitis.

The causative agents of colpitis can be various bacteria, as well as fungi of the genus Candida . Diabetes mellitus, oncological diseases, immunodeficiency states, uncontrolled intake of antibiotics, the use of hormonal and anticancer drugs contribute to the disruption of the normal microflora of the vagina.

The risk of developing colpitis increases with non-observance of personal hygiene and frequent change of sexual partners.

Classification of the disease

According to the nature of the course of , ​​acute and chronic colpitis are distinguished.

Depending on the causative agent , ​​a distinction is made between specific and nonspecific colpitis.

Specific colpitis occurs when an infection from a sexual partner. It is caused by pathogenic microorganisms (gonococci, mycoplasmas, chlamydia, etc.)), which are normally absent in the body.

The development of nonspecific vaginitis is provoked by the so-called opportunistic microorganisms. They can be found in the vagina of a healthy woman, but in much smaller quantities in relation to lactobacilli. Under the influence of various unfavorable factors (with reduced immunity, stressful situations, hypothermia), opportunistic bacteria become pathogenic, their number grows, and they provoke inflammation of the vaginal walls.The most common causative agents of nonspecific vaginitis are staphylococci, streptococci, Escherichia coli and fungi of the genus Candida . Sometimes fungal vaginitis (synonyms: vaginal candidiasis, thrush) is isolated into a separate group.

In postmenopausal women, so-called atrophic vaginitis can develop.

Colpitis symptoms

The severity of the manifestations of colpitis can be different – from minimal discomfort to significant pain and abundant discharge.

When colpitis occurs, a woman may experience a burning sensation, itching in the vaginal area, which are accompanied by purulent or mucopurulent discharge (light or yellowish-greenish with an unpleasant odor) from the genital tract. Soreness of the vagina during intercourse is possible.

In thrush, complaints of itching and dryness of the vagina usually prevail, the discharge is abundant, white, grainy-like (so-called curdled).

With atrophic vaginitis, a woman is worried about severe itching and dryness of the vagina; the discharge is scanty, odorless.

Colpitis diagnostics

The diagnosis of colpitis is established by a gynecologist based on the results of examination and laboratory tests.

The doctor pays attention to redness, swelling of the mucous membrane of the vagina and cervix, pathological discharge. The mucous membrane is prone to bleeding when touched, punctate hemorrhages on its surface are possible, the formation of mucosal defects – erosions and ulcers.