(NewsNation) — A third of women experience a common bacterial infection that previously was not considered to be sexually transmitted. Now, researchers believe it may be.
In a new study published Wednesday, researchers found that treating male partners may prevent the recurrence of bacterial vaginosis.
Bacterial vaginosis results from an imbalance in the vagina’s bacteria, causing symptoms of discolored discharge, a “fishy” odor, vaginal itching and a burning feeling when peeing, though not all women who have BV will show symptoms.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the infection is the most common vaginal problem for women ages 15 to 44.
In the study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers in Australia observed 164 monogamous heterosexual couples to study whether treating male partners would reduce the recurrence of BV in the female partner.
In the control group, the women who had bacterial vaginosis received antibiotics, while the men did not receive any treatment. In a second study group, both partners received treatment.
In the control group in which men did not take antibiotics, 63% of women redeveloped bacterial vaginosis within 12 weeks after taking oral medication.
In comparison, just 35% of women whose partners also received treatment experienced reoccurrence.
“Our trial has shown that reinfection from partners is causing a lot of the BV recurrence women experience, and provides evidence that BV is in fact an STI,” said Professor Catriona Bradshaw at Monash University.
The study calls for a new approach to the way the infection is classified and treated, finding that male-partner treatment may prevent the recurrence of bacterial vaginosis.
“We’ve suspected for a long time that it’s a sexually transmitted infection (STI), because it has a similar incubation period (after sex) to most STIs and is associated with the same risk factors as STIs like chlamydia, such as change in sexual partner and not using condoms,” said Dr. Lenka Vodstrcil, one of the study’s authors.
Practitioners still do not treat BV as an STI, but if it were to officially be classified as one, it would surpass chlamydia as the most common.
