What does it mean when clue cells are present?

What does it mean when clue cells are present?

If clue cells are found, it means you may have bacterial vaginosis. Whiff test. A sample of discharge is checked to see if a strong fishy odor is created when a special solution is added.

Is it normal to have clue cells?

A thin, gray-white vaginal discharge with a strong fishy odor may mean bacterial vaginosis is present. Normal: No yeast, bacteria, trichomoniasis, or clue cells are found on the slide….Vaginal pH.

Normal: Vaginal pH is about 3.8–4.5.
Abnormal: Vaginal pH is higher than 4.5.

What bacteria causes clue cells?

Clue cells are epithelial cells of the vagina which obtain their distinctive speckled appearance by being covered with bacteria (The etymology behind the term “clue cells” comes from the original research article by Gardner and Dukes) They are a medical sign of bacterial vaginosis , especially that caused by …

What are clue cells associated with?

They are a medical sign of bacterial vaginosis, particularly that caused by Gardnerella vaginalis, a group of Gram-variable bacteria. This bacterial infection is characterized by a foul, fishy smelling, thin gray vaginal discharge, and an increase in vaginal pH from around 4.5 to over 5.5.

Is Clue cell an STD?

The Gardnerella vaginalis infection of the urogenital tract, an STD, is of clinical importance in females and of epidemiological importance in males. Females suffer from vulvovaginitis amine colpitis, with a bad-smelling grey vaginal discharge with a pH of 5.0-5.5, which contains “clue cells”.

What are clue cells in BV?

Clue cells are epithelial cells covered by adherent gram-negative rods, observed in vaginal smears from women with bacterial vaginosis. Immunofluorescence studies were used to identify the gram-negative bacteria adhering to clue cells.

Are clue cells an STD?

What are clue cells and what do they look like?

Clue cells are distinctive in appearance, as they are covered in bacteria and what’s known as a bacterial biofilm. These biofilms are produced by a number of bacteria and yeasts, including healthy bacteria, but clue cells are specific to bacterial vaginosis.

How do you identify clue cells in wet mounts?

Evaluating Wet Mounts 2. To determine if any of the epithelial cells are clue cells, it is important to study ONLY THE BORDERS OF THE CELL. A cell is a clue cell if the borders of the cell are completely obscured with bacteria and have edges that look “grainy” or “fuzzy”.

How do you find the percentage of clue cells?

To determine the percentage of clue cells in your field: a. Count the number of clue cells and divide that number by the total number of distinguishable epithelial cells. For example: A field has 6 epithelial cells and 2 are clue cells. 2/6 = 33%.

How do you test for aclue cells?

A “clue cell” is typically identified through direct, microscopic examination of a wet-mount smear from a vaginal discharge or secretion, which reveals squamous epithelial cells with cohesive organisms that are gram-negative to gram-variable coccobacilli (Image 1). Gram-stained vaginal discharge smears are the most reliable morphologic test