Primary Diagnosis

Bacterial vaginosis (BV): is the primary diagnosis. Women’s Health (WH, 2015) describe bacterial vaginosis as the vaginal infection that results from overgrowth of bacterial usually found in the vagina which disrupt the natural balance. Bacterial vaginosis can affect women of any age, but usually affect women in their reproductive years. According to WH (2015) signs and symptoms include vaginal discharge that is white or milky or gray in color. Also, the discharge can be watery or foamy with strong fishy odor usually after sex; itchy, irritating vagina, and burning on urination. Moreover, WH (2015) explained that diagnosis are made based on vaginal exam, results of swap vagina fluid obtained during physical examination, such as wet mount test; whiff test; vaginal pH test, and oligonucleotide probes test results. Diagnosis can be made based on the result of three out of the four tests according to WH (2015). The rationales for identifying bacterial vaginosis as the primary diagnosis are that patient’s pelvic/vaginal examination revealed thin, watery, grey discharge. Also, laboratory test for wet mount test; whiff test; vaginal pH test are all positive, and when these tests are positive with the vaginal discharge that is synonymous with bacterial vaginosis, the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis is established.

Vaginal Candidiasis: Commonly known as yeast infection. The infection is caused by fungus candida, which causes extreme itching, swelling, and irritation. Symptoms include rash, vaginal discharge that is usually thick, white, and odorless; itching, burning, pain during sex, soreness, and burning. Vaginal candidiasis is ruled out as the primary diagnosis because of the difference in the vaginal discharge, which is odorless, thick, and white like cottage cheese unlike bacterial vaginosis (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016).

Trichomoniasis: The CDC (2016) explained that trichomoniasis is a sexual transmitted disease. the infection is caused by protozoan parasite known as trichomonas vaginalis. The infection is transmitted from an infected person to an uninfected person during sex. In addition, CDC (2016) explained that the signs and symptoms trichomoniasis to include mild irritation to severe inflammation, burning, itching, redness or soreness genitals; discharge can be thin, frosty, greenish, yellowish, clear or white with unusual smell. The CDC (2016) stipulated that trichomoniasis cannot be diagnosed based on symptoms alone. Laboratory test or check is needed to diagnose the infection. Trichomoniasis is ruled out as the possible differential diagnosis because the patient discharge is not frosty, yellow-green.