Is BV a Sexually Transmitted Desease?

Answer 1

Bacterial vaginosis is caused by an overgrowth of bacteria normally present in the vagina. Bacterial vaginosis is sometimes called nonspecific vaginitis or gardnerella vaginitis.

Bacterial vaginosis symptoms
Symptoms may include:

A watery, pearly grey discharge instead of normal vaginal secretions
A strong or unusual odour from the vagina.
Other infections may be present
Bacterial vaginosis may occur simultaneously with other infections or sexually transmitted diseases.

How bacterial vaginosis is transmitted
Although it is not clear how bacterial vaginosis is transmitted, it is more common in women who are sexually active. It sometimes develops soon after intercourse with a new partner. Women who have female sexual partners may transmit the infection on fingers or shared sex toys.

The diagnosis is made by a doctor
During a medical examination, your doctor may notice:
The discharge or odour
Decreased acidity of the vaginal fluid. This can occur even if you have not noticed any symptoms.
Treatment
When to treat
If you have no symptoms, treatment is usually not required. You should receive treatment if you:
Have symptoms, or your doctor has noticed signs of bacterial vaginosis.
You are about to have a medical procedure that could allow bacteria into the uterus, for example, an IUD-related procedure or termination of pregnancy.
You are pregnant. Your obstetrician may need to be consulted about treatment.
Antibiotics are used to treat the infection
An antibiotic known as metronidazole is often used to treat the infection. You will need to:
Take the antibiotic as a single dose or twice a day for five days.
Take the tablets after meals. This can reduce the nausea and upset stomach that is sometimes associated with metronidazole.
Avoid drinking alcohol during treatment
Your doctor can prescribe other antibiotics or vaginal creams if you are unable to take metronidazole, such as
Tinidazole (Fasigyn) taken as a single dose.
Clindamycin cream vaginally for six nights.
Recurrences can occur
The infection may become active again a few weeks after treatment. If bacterial vaginosis recurs several months after treatment, you may have a recurrent infection. Treating the male partner of an infected woman does not seem to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Preventing bacterial vaginosis
Most cases of bacterial vaginosis appear to be associated with sexual activity. Although no similar infection is found in men, you should always insist that casual male sexual partners use a condom. This may reduce your risk of developing bacterial vaginosis, while protecting you from other sexually transmitted infections.

Answer 2

The cause of BV is not fully understood. BV is associated with an imbalance in the bacteria that are normally found in a woman's vagina. The vagina normally contains mostly "good" bacteria, and fewer "harmful" bacteria. BV develops when there is an increase in harmful bacteria.

Not much is known about how women get BV. There are many unanswered questions about the role that harmful bacteria play in causing BV. Any woman can get BV. However, some activities or behaviors can upset the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina and put women at increased risk including:

* Having a new sex partner or multiple sex partners,
* Douching, and
* Using an intrauterine device (IUD) for contraception.

It is not clear what role sexual activity plays in the development of BV. Women do not get BV from toilet seats, bedding, swimming pools, or from touching objects around them. Women that have never had sexual intercourse are rarely affected.

Signs and Symptoms

Women with BV may have an abnormal vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odor. Some women report a strong fish-like odor, especially after intercourse. Discharge, if present, is usually white or gray; it can be thin. Women with BV may also have burning during urination or itching around the outside of the vagina, or both. Some women with BV report no signs or symptoms at all.

Treatment

Although BV will sometimes clear up without treatment, all women with symptoms of BV should be treated to avoid such complications as PID. Male partners generally do not need to be treated. However, BV may spread between female sex partners.

Treatment is especially important for pregnant women. All pregnant women who have ever had a premature delivery or low birth weight baby should be considered for a BV examination, regardless of symptoms, and should be treated if they have BV. All pregnant women who have symptoms of BV should be checked and treated.

Some physicians recommend that all women undergoing a hysterectomy or abortion be treated for BV prior to the procedure, regardless of symptoms, to reduce their risk of developing PID.

BV is treatable with antibiotics prescribed by a health care provider. Two different antibiotics are recommended as treatment for BV: metronidazole or clindamycin. Either can be used with non-pregnant or pregnant women, but the recommended dosages differ. Women with BV who are HIV-positive should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV-negative.

BV can recur after treatment.

Answer 3

No it's not.

Basically it's not considered an STD because there are other ways of getting it other than sex, and even people who aren't sexually active can get BV.

Women with new or multiple sex partners, as well as women who douche or use an intrauterine device (IUD) for birth control, have a higher risk of bacterial vaginosis.