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  • Title: Reliability of self-collected versus provider-collected vaginal swabs for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis.
    Author: Kashyap B, Singh R, Bhalla P, Arora R, Aggarwal A.
    Journal: Int J STD AIDS; 2008 Aug; 19(8):510-3. PubMed ID: 18663034.
    Abstract:
    Women reluctant to undergo a per-speculum examination consider self-sampling more acceptable. The aim of this study was to compare self-collected vaginal swabs for detection of bacterial vaginosis (BV), candidiasis and trichomoniasis, with vaginal specimens obtained by the gynaecologist at per-speculum examination. Self-collected and provider-collected vaginal swabs were obtained from 50 women attending the gynaecological outpatients department. The Gram-stained smears and saline wet mounts prepared from the provider-collected vaginal swabs were examined by a microbiologist and a gynaecologist. We determined the validity and the inter-rater reliability of the overall BV score and the morphotype specific score using Kappa statistics. When compared with the provider-collected smear, the ability of the self-collected smear to diagnose BV had a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 97%. With specific instructions to help assure the depth of sampling, self-collected swabs can reasonably approximate specimens obtained by clinicians during speculum examination for the diagnosis of BV.
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