This document discusses the differential diagnosis and management of vulvovaginal disorders. It begins by categorizing common conditions into infections (trichomoniasis, bacterial vaginosis, vulvovaginal candidiasis), skin conditions (fungal vulvitis, contact dermatitis, vulvar dermatoses), and psychogenic causes. It then provides detailed guidelines on evaluating, diagnosing, and treating specific infections like trichomoniasis, bacterial vaginosis, and vulvovaginal candidiasis. It also reviews vulvar conditions like lichen sclerosus, contact dermatitis, and classifications of vulvar dermatoses.

1. Managing Vulvovaginal
Disorders
Michael Policar, MD, MPH
Professor of Ob, Gyn, and Repro Sciences
UCSF School of Medicine
policarm@obgyn.ucsf.edu

2. • There are no relevant financial
relationships with any commercial
interests to disclose

3. Vulvovaginal Symptoms:
Differential Diagnosis
Category Condition
Infections Vaginal trichomoniasis (VT)
Bacterial vaginosis (BV)
Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC)
Skin Conditions Fungal vulvitis (candida, tinea)
Contact dermatitis (irritant, allergic)
Vulvar dermatoses (LS, LP, LSC)
Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN)
Psychogenic Physiologic, psychogenic

4. CDC 2010: Trichomoniasis
Screening and Testing
• Screening indications
– HIV positive women: annually
– Consider if “at risk”: new/multiple sex partners, history of STI,
inconsistent condom use, sex work, IDU
• New assays
– Rapid antigen test:  sensitivity, specificity vs. wet mount
– Aptima TMA T. vaginalis Analyte Specific Reagent (ASR)
• Other testing situations
– Suspect trich but NaCl slide neg  culture or newer assays
– Pap with trich  confirm if low risk
• Consider retesting 3 months after treatment

5. Trichomoniasis: Laboratory Tests
Test Sensitivity Specificity Cost Comment
Aptima TMA +4 (98%) +3 (98%) $$$ NAAT (like GC/Ct)
Culture +3 (83%) +4 (100%) $$$ Not in most labs
Point of care
•Affirm VP III +3 +4 $$$ DNA probe
•OSOM Rapid +3 (90%) +4 (100%) $$ CLIA waived
NaCl suspension +2 (56%) +4 (100%) ¢¢ 1st line
Pap smear +2 +3 n/a Confirm if low
prevalence
Accuracy data: Huppert CID 2007

6. CDC 2010: Vaginal
Trichomoniasis Treatment
• Recommended regimen
– Metronidazole 2 grams PO single dose
– Tinidazole 2 grams PO single dose
• Alternative regimen (preferred for HIV infected women)
– Metronidazole 500 mg PO BID x 7 days
• Metronidazole safe at all gestational ages
– Limited pregnancy data on Tinidazole
• Treat sex partner(s)
• Targeted screening for other STIs: GC, Ct, syphilis, HIV

7. CDC 2010: VT Treatment Failure
• Re-treat with either
– Tinidazole 2 g PO single dose
– Metronidazole 500 mg PO BID x 7 days
• If repeat failure, treat with
– Metronidazole 2 grams po x 3-5 days
• If repeat failureTinidazole 2-3 g po plus 1-1.5 g vaginally
x14 days
• Arrange for susceptibility testing: Call CDC!! (770-488-
4115)

8. BV: Pathophysiology
• Non-inflammatory bacterial overgrowth
– 100 x increase Gardnerella vaginalis
– 1000 x increase in anaerobes
– More pathogen types (Mobiluncus, Mycoplasmas)
• Suppression of H2O2-producing Lactobacillus crispatus and L.
jensenii (L acidophilus is not present)
• >50% women carry G. vaginalis in their vaginal flora in the
absence of BV
– Bacterial “C/S” of vaginal fluid doesn’t help in the
diagnosis of BV….or of any other vaginal infection

9. BV: Sexually Associated or Transmitted?
• “Sexually associated” in heterosexuals
– Rare in virginal women
– Greater risk of BV with multiple male partners
– Condom use decreases risk,
But
– No BV carrier state identified in men
– Treatment of partner does not affect recurrences
• Women having sex with women (WSW)
– Infected vaginal fluid between women causes BV
– Studies of concurrence in lesbian couples suggest
horizontal transmission

10. BV: Clinical Diagnosis
• Amsel Criteria: 3 or more of
– Homogenous white discharge
– Amine odor (“whiff” test)
– pH > 4.5 (most sensitive)
– Clue cells > 20% (most specific)
• Spiegel criteria, Nugent score: Gram stain with
– Few or no gram positive Lactobacillus spp.
– Excess of other gram negative morphotypes

11. Characteristic Discharge With BV

12. BV: Clue Cells on Saline Suspension
>20% of
epithelial
cells are
clues
Reduced
Lactobacilli
Ragged cell
border

13. BV: Laboratory Tests
Test Sensit Specif Cost Comment
Nugent score +4 +4 ¢¢ Labor intensive
Point of care tests
 Affirm VP III +4 +3 $$$ DNA probe
 OSOM BV Blue +3 +3 $$ CLIA moderate
 G vag PIP +2 +3 $$$ CLIA moderate
pH + amines +2 +2 $ CLIA waived
Amsel criteria +3 +2 ¢¢ 1st line
Pap smear +1 +2-3 n/a Coccobacilli

14. Who Should Be Tested for BV?
• Routine screening (asymptomatic): not indicated
• Standard diagnostic testing
– Check discharge, amines, vaginal pH, clue cells
• Microscopy not available or inconclusive
– Affirm VP III
– OSOM BV Blue
– G vaginalis PIP, pH+amine test cards
• “Shift in vaginal flora” on Pap
– No consensus, but poor correlation with BV…most experts
recommend no further follow up

15. CDC 2010: BV Treatment
Recommended regimens
– Metronidazole 500 mg PO BID x 7 days
– Metronidazole gel 0.75% 5g per vagina QD x 5 days
– Clindamycin 2% cream 5g per vagina QHS x 7 days
Alternative regimens
– Tinidazole 2 g PO QD for 3 days
– Tinidazole 1 g PO QD for 5 days
– Clindamycin 300 mg PO BID x 7 days
– Clindamycin ovules 100 mg per vagina QHS x 3 days

16. CDC 2010: Recurrent BV
• Consider suppression with metronidazole vaginal gel twice
weekly for 4-6 months (after full initial treatment)
• No evidence yet to support use of probiotics
• Don’t douche…with anything!
• Use of condoms by male partners may reduce recurrences
• Clean sex toys (or use condoms) between uses
• Avoid vaginal insertion after anal insertion of a finger or penis

17. CDC 2010: VVC Classification
• Uncomplicated VVC (80-90%)
– Sporadic or infrequent VVC, and
– Mild-to-moderate VVC, and
– Likely to be Candida albicans, and
– Immunecompetant
• Complicated VVC (10-20%)
– Recurrent VVC, or
– Severe VVC, or
– Non-albicans candidiasis, or
– Uncontrolled DM, immunosuppression, pregnancy

18. VVC: Laboratory
• KOH suspension
− C. albicans: pseudohyphae and blastospores (buds)
− C. glabrata: blastospores only
• NaCl suspension: many WBC, normal lactobacillus
• pH: 4-6
• Amine test: negative
• Confirmatory tests
- Point of care test: Affirm VP III
- Candida culture (not: fungus culture)
- Candida PCR

19. Treatments for VVC
Drug Over the Counter Prescription
Length of Treatment 7d 3d 1d 7d 3d 1d
Butoconazole X
Clotrimazole X X X
Miconazole X X X
Terconazole X X
Tioconazole X X
Fluconazole (PO) X

20. CDC 2010: Uncomplicated
VVC Treatments
• Non-pregnant women
– 3 and 7 day topicals have equal efficacy and price
– Offer either: 1 or 3 day topical or oral fluconazole
• Topical: quickly soothing, but inconvenient
• Oral: convenient, but effect is not immediate
• If first treatment course fails
– Re-confirm diagnosis (r/o dual infection)
– Treat with an alternate antifungal drug
– Perform Candida culture to confirm and speciate
• No role for nystatin, candicidin

21. CDC 2010: Complicated
VVC Treatment
Severe VVC
• Advanced findings: erythema, excoriation, fissures
• Topical azole therapy for 7-14 days, or
Compromised host
• Topical azole treatment for 7-14 days
• Fluconazole 150 mg PO; repeat Q3 days 1-2 times
Pregnancy
• Topical azoles for 7 days

22. CDC 2010: Complicated
VVC Treatment
Recurrent VVC (RVVC)
• > 4 episodes of symptomatic VVC per year
• Most women have no predisposing condition
– Partners are rarely source of infection
• Confirm with Candidal culture before maintenance
therapy; also check for non-albicans species
• Early treatment regimen: self-medication 3 days with
onset of symptoms

23. CDC 2010: Complicated
VVC Treatment
• Recurrent VVC: Treatment
– Treat for 7-14 days of topical therapy or fluconazole
150 mg PO q 72o x3 doses, then
– Maintenance therapy x 6 months
• Fluconazole 100-200 mg PO 1-2 per week
• Itraconazole 100 mg/wk or 400 mg/month
• Clotrimazole 500 mg suppos 1 per week
• Boric acid 600 mg suppos QD x14, then BIW
• Gentian violet: Q week x2, Q month X 3-6 mo

24. Vulvar Candidiasis
• Vulva will be very itchy; often excoriated
• Presentation
– Erythema + satellite lesions
– Occasionally: thrush, LSC thickening if chronic
• Diagnosis: skin scraping KOH, candidal culture
• Treatment
– Topical antifungal therapy daily for 7-14 days, or
fluconazole 150 mg PO repeat in 3 days
– Plus: TAC 0.1% or 0.5% ointment QD-BID

25. Vulvar Candidiasis

26. Tinea Cruris: “Jock Itch”
• Asymmetric lesions on proximal inner thighs
– Plaque rarely involves scrotum; not penile shaft
• Well demarcated red plaques with accentuation of scale
peripherally; no satellite lesions
• Fungal folliculitis: papules, nodules or pustules within
area of plaque
• Treatment
– Mild: topical azoles BID x10-14d, terbinafine
– Severe: fluconazole 150 mg QW for 2-4 weeks
– If inflammatory, add TAC 0.1% on 1st 3 days

28. Intertrigo
• Background
– Occlusion, rubbing of skin chafing, inflammation
– If moist, often superinfection with candida or tinea
– May lichenify to LSC
• Findings
– Dull red, shiny skin fold; if moist, white surface
– Follows clothing lines; under breasts, pannus
– No satellites; border not sharp
• Treatment
– Keep skin clean and dry; use cornstarch
– Reduce friction with bland emollient
– Treat secondary infection with topical azole

29. Contact Dermatitis
• Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD)
– Elicited in most people with a high enough dose
– Rapid onset vulvar itching (hours-days)
• Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD)
– Delayed hypersensitivity
– 10-14 days after 1st exposure; 1-7 d after repeat exposure
• ICD and ACD can present with
– Itching, burning, swelling, redness
– Small vesicles or bullae more likely with ACD

30. Contact Dermatitis
• Common contact irritants
– Urine, feces, excessive sweating
– Saliva (receptive oral sex)
– Repetitive scratching, overwashing
– Detergents, fabric softeners
– Topical corticosteroids
– Toilet paper dyes and perfumes
– Hygiene pads (and liners), sprays, douches
– Lubricants, including condoms

31. Contact Dermatitis
Symmetric
Raised,
bright red,
intense itching
Extension to
areas of irritant
contact

32. Contact Dermatitis
• Common contact allergens
– Poison oak, poison ivy
– Topical antibiotics, esp neomycin, bacitracin
– Spermicides
– Latex (condoms, diaphragms)
– Vehicles of topical meds: propylene glycol
– Lidocaine, benzocaine
– Fragrances

33. Contact Dermatitis: Treatment
• Exclude contact with possible irritants
• Restore skin barrier with sitz baths, compresses
• After hydration, apply a bland emollient
– White petrolatum, mineral oil, olive oil
• Short term mild-moderate potency steroids
– TAC 0.1% BID x10-14 days (or clobetasol 0.05%)
– Fluconazole 150 mg PO weekly
• Cold packs: gel packs, peas in a “zip-lock” bag
• Doxypin or hydroxyzine (10-75 mg PO) at 6 pm
• If recurrent, refer for patch testing

34. Why Not Steroid-Antifungal
Combination Drugs?
• Which products should be avoided?
– Lotrisone: Clotrimazole and Betamethasone 0.5%
– Mycolog II: Nystatin and Triamconolone acetonide
• Why avoid them?
– Inflammation usually clears up before fungal infection
– Steroid overshoot  skin atrophy
– Local immunosuppression (from steroid) may blunt
antifungal effect

35. ISSVD 1987: Vulvar Dermatoses
Type ISSVD Term Old Terms
Atrophic Lichen • Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus
sclerosus • Kraurosis vulvae
Hyper- Squamous cell • Hyperplastic dystrophy
plastic hyperplasia • Neurodermatitis
• Lichen simplex chronicus
Systemic Other • Lichen planus
dermatoses • Psoriasis
Pre- VIN • Hyperplasic dystrophy/atypia
malignant • Bowen’s disease
• Bowenoid papulosis
• Vulvar CIS
ISSVD: International Society for the Study of Vulvar Disease

36. ISSVD 2006 Classification of
Vulvar Dermatoses
• No consensus agreement on a system based upon
clinical morphology, path physiology, or etiology
• Include only non-Neoplastic, non-infectious entities
• Agreed upon a microscopic morphology based system
• Rationale of ISSVD Committee
– Clinical diagnosis  no classification needed
– Unclear clinical diagnosis  seek biopsy diagnosis
– Unclear biopsy diagnosis  seek clinic pathologic
correlation

37. ISSVD 2006 Classification of
Vulvar Dermatoses
Path pattern Clinical Corrrelates
Spongiotic Atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis,
irritant contact dermatitis
Acanthotic Psoriasis, LSC (primary or superimposed), (VIN)
Lichenoid Lichen sclerosus, lichen planus
Dermal Lichen sclerosus
homogenization
Vesicolobullous Pemphigoid, linear IgA disease
Acantholytic Hailey-Hailey disease, Darier disease, papular
genitocrural acantholysis
Granulomatous Crohn disease
Vasculopathic Apthous ulcers, Behcet disease, plasma c. vulvitis

38. Lichen Sclerosus: Natural History
• Most common vulvar dermatosis
• Prevalence: 1.7% in a general GYN practice
• Cause: autoimmune condition
• Bimodal age distribution: older women and children, but
may be present at any age
• Chronic, progressive, lifelong condition

39. Lichen Sclerosus: Natural History
• Most common in Caucasian women
• Can affect non-vulvar areas
• Part (or all) of lesion can progress to VIN, differentiated
type
• Predisposition to vulvar squamous cell carcinoma
– 1-5% lifetime risk (vs. < 0.01% without LS)
– LS in 30-40% women with vulvar squamous cancers

40. Lichen Sclerosus: Findings
• Symptoms
– Most commoly, itching
– Often irritation, burning, dyspareunia, tearing
– 58% of newly-diagnosed patients are asymptomatic
• Signs
– Thin white “parchment paper” epithelium
– Fissures, ulcers, bruises, or submucosal hemorrhage
– Loss of labia minora, fusion of labia and clitoral hood
– Depigmentation (white) or hyperpigmentation in
“keyhole” distribution: vulva and anus
– Introital stenosis

41. Lichen Sclerosus: Treatment
• Biopsy mandatory for diagnosis, unless classic findings
• Preferred treatment
– Clobetasol 0.05% ointment QD x4 weeks, then QOD x4
weeks, then twice-weekly for 4 weeks
– Taper to med potency steroid (or clobetasol) 2-4 times
per month for life
– Explain “titration” regimen to patient, including
management of flares and recurrent symptoms
– 30 gm tube of ultrapotent steroid lasts 3-6 mo
– Monitor every 3 months twice, then annually

42. “Early”
Lichen Sclerosus
Hyperpigmentation
due to scarring
Loss of labia minora

43. Later Lichen
Sclerosus
Thin white
epithelium
Fissures

44. “Late” Lichen Sclerosus
Agglutination of
clitoral hood
Loss of labia
minora
Introital
narrowing
Parchment paper
epithelium

45. Lichen Sclerosus: Treatment
• Second line therapy
– Pimecrolimus, tacrolimus
– Retinoids, potassium para-aminobenzoate
• Testosterone (and estrogen or progesterone) ointment
or cream no longer recommended
• Explain chronicity and need for life-long treatment
• Adjunctive therapy: anti-pruritic therapy
– Antihistamines, especially at bedtime
– Doxypin, at bedtime or topically
– If not effective: amitriptyline, desipramine PO
• Perineoplasty may help dyspareunia, fissuring

46. Lichen Simplex Chronicus =
Squamous Cell Hyperplasia
• Cause: an irritant initiates a “scratch-itch” cycle
• LSC classified as
– Primary (idiopathic)
– Secondary (superimposed upon lichen sclerosus,
candida vulvitis; vulvar contact dermatitis)
• Presentation: always itching; burning, pain, tenderness
• Thickened leathery red (white if moisture) raised lesion
• In absence of atypia, no malignant potential
– If atypia present , classified as VIN

47. Lichen Simplex Chronicus

48. L. Simplex Chronicus: Treatment
• Removal of irritants or allergens
• Treatment
– Triamcinolone acetonide (TAC) 0.1% ointment BID x4-
6 weeks, then QD
– Other moderate strength steroid ointments
– Intralesional TAC once every 3-6 months
• Anti-pruritics
– Hydroxyzine (Atarax) 25-75 mg QHS
– Doxepin 25-75 mg PO QHS
– Doxepin (Zonalon) 5% cream; start QD, work up

49. Lichen Sclerosus + LSC
• “Mixed dystrophy” deleted in 1987
ISSVD System
• 15% all vulvar dermatoses
• LS is irritant; scratching  LSC
• Consider: LS with plaque, VIN,
squamous cell cancer of vulva
• Treatment
– Clobetasol x12 weeks, then steroid
maintenance
– Stop the itch!!

50. Vulvar Intraepithelial Neoplasia (VIN):
Prior to 2004
• Grading of VIN-1 through VIN-3, based upon degree of
epithelial involvement
• The mnemonic of the 4 P’s
– Papule formation: raised lesion (erosion also
possible, but much less common)
– Pruritic: itching is prominent
– “Patriotic”: red, white, or blue (hyperpigmented)
– Parakeratosis on microscopy

51. ISSVD 2004: Squamous VIN
• VIN 1 is not a cancer precursor…abandon the term
– Instead, use “condyloma” or “flat wart”
• Combine VIN-2 and VIN-3 into single “VIN” diagnosis
• Two distinct variants of VIN
– VIN, usual type
• Warty type
• Basaloid type
• Mixed warty-basaloid
– VIN, differentiated (simplex) type

52. ISSVD 2004:VIN, Usual Type
• Includes (old) VIN -2 or -3
• Usually HPV-related (mainly type 16)
• More common in younger women (30s-40s)
• Often asymptomatic
• Lesions usually elevated and have a rough surface,
• Often multifocal; multicentric in 50%
• Strongly associated with cigarette smoking
• Regression is less likely and progression to invasion more
likely with the basaloid type

53. VIN, Differentiated (Simplex) Type
• Includes (old) VIN 3 only
• Usually in older women with LS, LSC, or LP
• Not HPV related
• Less common than usual type
• Patients usually are symptomatic, with a long history of
pruritus and burning
• Findings
– Red, pink, or white papule; rough or eroded surfaces
– A persistent, non-healing ulcer
• More likely to progress to SCC of vulva than usual VIN

54. White VIN,
Usual (warty) type

55. VIN, usual (basaloid)
type

57. VIN:
warty-
basaloid
type

58. Vulvar Intraepithelial Neoplasia
• Precursor to vulvar cancer, but low “hit rate”
– Greater risk of invasion if immunocompromised
(steroids, HIV), >40 years old, previous lower genital
tract neoplasia
• Treatment
– Wide local excision (few lesions), laser ablation
– Topical agents: 5FU cream, imiquimod
– Skinning or simple vulvectomy
• Recurrence is common (48% at 15 years)
– Smoking cessation may reduce recurrence rate

59. Genital Skin: Dark Lesions
(% are in women only)
• 36% Lentigo, benign genital melanosis
• 22% VIN
• 21% Nevi (mole)
• 10% Reactive hyperpigmentation (scarring)
• 5% Seborrheic keratosis
• 2% Malignant melanoma
• 1% Basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma

60. Vulvar Intraepithelial Neoplasia

61. Hyperpigmented
VIN, usual type

62. Indications for Vulvar Biopsy
• Papular or exophtic lesions, except obvious condylomata
• Thickened lesions (biopsy thickest region) to differentiate
VIN vs. LSC
• Hyperpigmented lesions (biopsy darkest area), unless
obvious nevus or lentigo
• Ulcerative lesions (biopsy at edge), unless obvious herpes,
syphilis or chancroid
• Lesions that do not respond or worsen during treatment
• In summary: biopsy whenever diagnosis is uncertain

63. References
• Heller DS. Report of a new ISSVD classification of VIN. J Low Genit
Tract Dis. 2007 Jan;11(1):46-7.
• Siderite M, et al. Squamous vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia: 2004
modified terminology, ISSVD Vulvar Oncology Subcommittee J
Reprod Med. 2005 Nov;50(11):807-10
• Wechter ME, Management of Bartholin duct cysts and abscesses: a
systematic review Obstet Gynecol Surv. 2009 Jun;64(6):395-404.
• vanSeters, et al, Treatment of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia with
imiquimod. NEJM 2008;358:1465-73
• De Simone P Vulvar melanoma: a report of 10 cases and review of
literature. Melanoma Res. 2008 Apr;18(2):127-33

64. References
• Lynch PJ, etal, 2006 ISSVD Classification of Vulvar Dermatoses.
J Reprod Med 2007;52:3-9
• ACOG Practice Bulletin #93. Diagnosis and Management of
Vulvar Skin Disorders. Ob Gynecol 2008;111 (5);1243-1253
• Smith YR, Haefner HK. Vulvar lichen sclerosus: pathophysiology
and treatment. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2004;5(2):105-25.
• Edwards L, Vulvar fissures: causes and therapy. Dermatol Ther.
2004;17(1):111-6.
• Foster DC, Vulvar disease. Ob Gynecol. 2002;100(1):145-63.