| Summary: | Includes abstract. === Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-60). === Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common cause of vaginal symptoms among women of childbearing age, although some women may be asymptomatic. The etiology of BV has been uncertain for many years, but several studies have related an increased frequency of BV to multiple diverse factors such as smoking, sexual behavior, vaginal douching, black race, sexually transmitted infections, and certain socio-economic factors. BV infection may lead to adverse reproductive health outcomes and may also increase the susceptibility of women to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It is therefore of importance to know the risk factors for BV among a population so that mechanisms of prevention can be developed.
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