Not only popular blood and urine tests can talk about problems in the body's functioning system. In some cases, microflora is also effective. In particular, this concerns the detection of diseases of the reproductive system in women and men. A polymorphic stick in a smear here will be one of the important indicators. What does he define? The presence and quantity of bacteria and other microorganisms in the test material. This information in combination with other indicators allows a specialist to diagnose or rule out a disease. The reasons for the appearance of polymorphic bacillus, diagnostic methods, treatment, prevention, we will present to the reader below.
What is microflora?
To better understand what a polymorphic stick is in a smear, we first need to get acquainted with the term "microflora". This is the name of all kinds of bacteria that exist in the human body. Some of them are in symbiosis with us - they coexist relatively amicably and are vitally useful. As, for example, the intestinal microflora, which helps the process of digestion of food. In addition to it, bacteria are distributed in the oral cavity, on the human genitals.
Depending on the harmfulness / usefulness, the entire microflora is divided into three categories:
- Normal It supports the proper functioning of various organs, which is vital for the body. Moreover, some bacteria even carry out protective functions against our body, contribute to a high level of immunity.
- Pathogenic conditionally. It does not benefit the human body, but it does not harm it. However, under the influence of any factors, such bacteria and fungi begin to multiply actively. Then, under the influence of the products of their vital activity, the beneficial microflora is inhibited, and the normal functioning of the organism and its organs is disturbed. Hence, even simple dysbiosis can become good soil for the development of dangerous infections and inflammations.
- Pathogenic. These are bacteria that have a dramatically negative effect on the body. The defenses of a healthy person can actively resist them. However, non-observance of personal hygiene rules, reduced immunity, imbalance in the microflora aggravate the condition, increase the chances of a virus or infection.
What does a polymorphic stick in a smear mean?
As you may have guessed, this representative will relate specifically to the category of microflora. A polymorphic bacillus in a smear is a microscopic organism, which, among other things, is capable of causing pathogenic changes in a woman in the vagina, on the cervix, in the cervical canal.
The antagonist of the polymorphic bacillus is the Dederlein wand. This is a microorganism that is useful to the human body, which creates a favorable "place of residence" for lactobacilli. It is the latter that prevent the mucous membrane of the genital organs from drying out, do not allow pathogenic bacteria to multiply, an example of which will be a polymorphic bacillus in a smear.
Accordingly, a decrease in the number of Dederlein sticks (for example, due to dysbiosis) is an unfavorable factor. This threatens to increase the number of harmful polymorphic microorganisms. This is reflected in a sharp increase in the number of white blood cells in the blood (protective cells that are synthesized to combat harmful elements). According to this factor, a specialist can judge that the body has an infection, an inflammatory process.
Anxiety Symptoms and Signs
Polymer bacillus in the genital flora is able to determine two procedures - bacteriological culture and the already mentioned smear. But how do you know what you need to go to an extraordinary examination at the clinic?
Changes in the microflora of the genital organs usually manifest externally in a similar way:
- Large volumes of vaginal discharge of a characteristic grayish, whitish, yellowish hue.
- The smell of the mass is sour, somewhat reminiscent of sour milk, rotten fish.
- In the genital area, perineum, constant discomfort, itching is felt.
- Sexual intercourse is painful.
- When urinating, discomfort or even pain is experienced.
- Uncharacteristic discharge sometimes comes out of the vagina - with pus, green.
- Pain in the perineum, lower abdomen.
Such symptoms speak not only about changes in the flora, as indicated by a polymorphic bacillus in a smear. They can also indicate the development of thrush, dysbiosis, colpitis, vaginosis, and a number of sexually transmitted infections.
Polymorphic sticks in analysis results - what does it mean?
A polymorphic bacillus in a smear in a woman is sometimes determined by her as the presence of any disease, infection. But the mark on the content of the microorganism in the test material speaks only of its presence, and not of pathogenicity. This is the name of many bacteria, microbes, which under the glass of a microscope have the characteristic shape of a stick.
Like the entire microflora, they are divided into normal, conditionally pathogenic and harmful. Polymorphic sticks in a smear in large quantities can talk about healthy microflora and pathogenic, which is why the norms of their content are relative.
It is very difficult to identify the type of microorganism (harmful or beneficial) in appearance under a microscope. Here it is necessary to conduct a more complex analysis - bacteriological culture. By the way, such a study helps to determine the sensitivity of the identified microorganisms to certain antibiotics. And this already allows you to draw up an effective treatment regimen.
How is the pathogenicity of a polymorphic bacillus in a smear in women determined? The specialist evaluates other identified factors - the content of leukocytes, other microorganisms, their percentage ratio. All this together allows you to draw a general diagnostic picture.
Need for a smear: health check, pregnancy
A smear on the microflora of the genitals just allows you to monitor their normal condition, identify pathogenic changes in time. Gynecologists advise repeating such an analysis for preventive purposes at least once a year.
It is necessary and in time to determine the polymorphic bacillus in a smear in pregnant women. During the bearing of the baby, a woman should more sensitively listen to her body, monitor the discharge from the genitals. It is their nature in the first place that speaks of the painful state of microflora, the need for urgent analysis.
Most often, polymorphic sticks in a smear during pregnancy are found in the first trimester. The reproduction of pathogenic bacteria here is associated with developing thrush, which will be a consequence of a decrease in immunity, a general hormonal restructuring of the future mother's body.
The second common cause is vaginal dysbiosis. It can be associated with a number of problems in the functioning of the body. In the first place there will be digestive disorders, malnutrition.
A large number of polymorphic bacilli in a smear is an alarming signal for a pregnant woman. After all, it is the thrush that provokes breaks during pregnancy. The disease makes the tissues less elastic due to their severe depletion.
Damage to the mother with thrush and for the child is dangerous. It can become infected with polymorphic microorganisms during the passage through the female genital tract. In a baby, they cause thrush of the oral cavity, synechia and other infectious diseases.
What do the indicators in the analysis say?
Genital microflora research results are usually provided by laboratories a couple of days after the biomaterial is submitted for research. They should be provided to the attending physician - only a specialist is able to correctly interpret the revealed information about the polymorphic bacillus (flora).
We present to your attention what these or other indicators, deviations may mean:
- Under normal health conditions, the vast majority of the vaginal microflora are Dederlein sticks, large and motionless gram-positive lactobacilli that do not form spores.
- A high percentage of lactobacillary microflora will speak of good condition.
- In small quantities, white blood cells, red blood cells and mixed microflora are allowed.
- The normal leukocyte count in this case is 10 per 1 cm 2 . Note that during pregnancy, the indicator can be slightly increased.
- Small sticks in small quantities also do not indicate a pathological process.
- If a woman has an active sex life, then it will be normal for her to have mixed flora when taking samples for analysis on the days before and after menstruation.
- Normally, the content of mixed microflora in a sample of biomaterial when taken at the time of hormonal changes in the body - in teenage girls, women at the menopause of life.
About pathology will say the following:
- A significant amount of a small type of polymorphic sticks in a smear (flora). Most often this is a consequence of dysbiosis, bacterial vaginosis.
- High white blood cell count, coccobacillary microflora. Most often, it indicates the development of a sexually transmitted disease or the same bacterial vaginosis. In some cases, the result of several pathological processes that have appeared in parallel.
- Escherichia coli pathogen. Promotes dysbacteriosis in the genitals, causes thrush.
Additional diagnostics
We know that a smear alone can rarely become a sufficient basis for a clear diagnosis. Therefore, the specialist appoints a number of additional examinations:
- Colposcopy Helps to exclude / confirm the development of not only colpitis, but also a number of other inflammatory, infectious diseases.
- Taking material from the cervix and cervical canal to bacteriosis. First of all, for immunological studies.
- Ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs. It is prescribed if a woman notes pain. Eliminates the likelihood of developing cervical dysplasia, cystic formations.
Treatment features
The treatment features for a polymorphic bacillus in a smear are as follows:
- Therapy of diseases of this nature is usually prescribed complex - both for the patient and his sexual partner. The latter should undergo at least preventive treatment. For example, this is characteristic of detected candidiasis.
- It is worth noting that in men, pathogenic changes in the microflora of the genital organs are most often asymptomatic. Thus, a person continues to exist with a hidden pathology, infecting his sexual partner from time to time. The treatment of the second, of course, will be inconclusive in this case.
- To restore the normal balance of microflora, the doctor most often prescribes antibiotics. The forms of these drugs are diverse - tablets, vaginal suppositories, capsules, ointments and creams for topical application. In order for therapy to be most effective, a complex administration of several drugs is prescribed.
Drug therapy
Drug treatment can be represented by the following drugs:
- Candles and ointments "Pimafucin".
- Vaginal tablets and candles "Terzhinan". They struggle with the inflammatory process caused by itching.
- Antibiotics "Cefixin" and "Ceftriaxone". Suppress the metabolism of pathogenic microorganisms, relieve mucosal irritation.
- Clindamycin and Fluconazole. Medications prescribed by your doctor to detect a fungal infection.
Note that drugs suitable for the patient, their dosage, time, frequency of use can be prescribed only by the attending doctor!
Along with taking medications, you must adhere to a special diet. It should have as much as possible dairy products, a minimum amount of sweet and starchy foods.
Preventative measures
If treatment regimens are individual for each patient, then prevention is the same for everyone:
- Compliance with basic rules of personal hygiene. In particular, washing the genitals at least once a day.
- Women during such water procedures are advised to use special detergents that support the beneficial acidic environment of the vagina. Its violation leads to a decrease in local immunity.
- Women should avoid douching, which flush out the beneficial microflora. An exception is if the treating doctor prescribed a similar procedure.
- Wearing daily pads, thongs should be minimized. They increase the risk of developing harmful and conditionally pathogenic microflora.
- Selective treatment of sexual partners, the use of contraceptives and other means designed to protect against sexual infections.
- Strengthening immunity - local and general, the correct regimen of the day, adequate sleep, a complete diet. It is also important to protect yourself from stressful situations.
Polymorphic bacilli, found in large quantities in a smear, do not in themselves indicate a disease. An important indicator is their pathogenicity, which is identified by a specialist for a number of additional factors. When diagnosing the disease, the patient is prescribed individual treatment.