Vaginitis represents the inflamed condition of the vagina, usually caused by changes in the balance of vaginal flora. In the digestive tract, vagina, and on the skin, there are numerous bacteria that usually do not cause any problems. Inside the vagina, bacteria called lactobacilli ("good" bacteria) maintain an acidic environment through secretions. This acidic environment is conducive to their own growth and at the same time acts as a protective barrier, maintaining vaginal health by preventing the proliferation of other types of bacteria ("bad" bacteria). This state is normal under normal conditions. However, due to certain causes, the balance is disrupted, and pathogenic bacteria (most commonly Gardnerella vaginalis and Candida albicans) multiply excessively, causing infections.
Some of the causes that can lead to imbalance of vaginal flora include excessive genital hygiene with harsh soaps, frequent vaginal douching, tight synthetic clothing, prolonged antibiotic treatments, or diabetes. It is a subject of controversy whether vaginitis is or is not a sexually transmitted infection because changes in bacterial balance can occur even without any sexual activity.
However, most of the time, vaginitis is associated with a sexually transmitted infection, especially with changing partners or resuming sexual activity. The infection increases the likelihood of developing pelvic inflammatory diseases. 50% of women with this condition are asymptomatic. When symptoms occur, they include burning sensation during urination, irritation of the vulva and vagina, itching sensation in the vagina, abnormal watery discharge with a gray-white color and a strong fishy odor that intensifies after sexual contact or during menstruation. Diagnosis is made by microscopic examination of vaginal secretions and by measuring acidity (positive result if pH is higher than 4.5).
To avoid disrupting the balance of vaginal flora, it is recommended to use cotton underwear, external tampons, avoid wearing tight pants or synthetic materials, washing barrier contraceptive devices (diaphragm and spermicide applicator), avoiding harsh soaps, avoiding vaginal douching, and discussing with the doctor cases where prolonged antibiotic treatment is necessary.
Ulcerative Colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes ulcers in the lining of the colon. Although it mostly affects the left side of the colon (sigmoid) and rectum, the extent of the disease can vary from affecting only the rectum to affecting the entire colon (extensive colitis, pancolitis). The affected area of the colon is an indicator of the severity of the disease.
Extensive colitis is accompanied by more severe symptoms than colitis affecting only the rectum. Some people may have a large portion of the colon affected but have no symptoms. The most common inflammatory bowel diseases are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease (a chronic condition with flare-ups and remissions that can last a lifetime).
The severity of the condition varies from one patient to another; some people report mild symptoms, while others have severe symptoms and complications. In some rare cases, symptoms can progress and lead to the death of the person—usually through local complications such as fistulas, intestinal obstructions, intestinal necrosis.
Ulcerative colitis is more common than Crohn's disease. The causes of ulcerative colitis are not known. Some studies have suggested that inflammatory bowel disease may be caused by an abnormal immune response to intestinal bacteria. Other conditions, such as diseases caused by certain bacteria or viruses (e.g., chickenpox), have been associated with inflammatory bowel diseases. Ulcerative colitis has a familial transmission. Certain individuals have a genetically determined tendency to develop the disease when exposed to certain immune system stimuli.
Symptoms of ulcerative colitis include:
* diarrhea or rectal discharge. Some people may have 10-20 bowel movements per day. The need to use the toilet may wake the person from sleep
* rectal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis often accompanies bloody stools and mucus. It may be associated with pain in the rectum and an urgent need to use the toilet
* abdominal pain, described as cramps. The abdomen may be tender to the touch
* constipation. This may occur depending on the portion of the colon affected. Constipation is less common than diarrhea
* loss of appetite
* fever. In some cases, symptoms affecting the whole body and fever may occur
* weight loss. Chronic diarrhea symptoms lead to weight loss
* anemia (reduced number of red blood cells in the blood). Some people develop anemia due to loss of iron through the inflammatory bowel syndrome or bleeding
* general symptoms and complications outside the digestive tract may also occur: joint pain, eye problems, skin rash, liver diseases.
These manifestations are more frequent in Crohn's disease than in ulcerative colitis.
Other syndromes with symptoms similar to ulcerative colitis are Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and in elderly people colorectal cancer.
Rectitis (Proctitis) is the inflammation, acute or chronic, of the rectal mucosa. As causes, rectitis can have very diverse origins, especially infectious (gonorrhea), parasitic (amoebiasis, schistosomiasis), or medical (suppositories, irradiation). It can either be an isolated manifestation or associated with another inflammatory condition (ulcerative proctocolitis, Crohn's disease). Finally, rectitis is often accompanied by lesions of the colon. The disease manifests with rectal pain, false urge to defecate, bloody or purulent anal emissions, diarrhea, more or less marked alteration of the general condition, fever.
Intestinal parasitic infections are disorders of the digestive system caused by the presence of various parasites in the body. Different types of parasitic infections occur, such as: tapeworm, toxoplasmosis, trichuriasis, toxocariasis, hymenolepiasis, hydatidosis, etc. They are frequently encountered in children regardless of age. Since the baby is breastfed, he/she does not have the possibility to get contaminated directly, which leads to a decrease in the incidence of intestinal parasitic infections in the first months of life.
The causative agents of these intestinal conditions cause numerous disorders of varying severity. Symptoms are complex: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, bloating, acute abdominal pain, severe anemia, restless sleep, weight loss, anal itching (intense itching) in the case of pinworms. Conditions cannot be diagnosed solely by the presence of some of the signs listed above. Positive diagnosis is made by coproparasitological examination, when adult parasites, fragments of them (proglottids), their eggs, or cysts are spontaneously eliminated or in the stool.
In the case of pinworm infection, manifested by anal and perianal itching, it is recommended to take an anal imprint on an adhesive strip, followed by microscopic examination. Healing can be confirmed only after performing at least 3 consecutive stool examinations with negative results, at intervals of 7-10 days between tests. Repetition of coproparasitological examination is necessary because there is a latency period between the moment of infection and the moment when it begins to eliminate eggs or cysts, and because the elimination of the parasite in feces is inconsistent, depending on its biological cycle.
There are parasites that do not eliminate eggs or cysts in feces (toxoplasma, trichinella, toxocara, etc.) or the appearance of eggs in feces occurs accidentally. In this situation, it is recommended to identify specific parasite antigens and/or parasite antibodies using immunoassay methods, with very high sensitivity and specificity.
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