A common vaginal infection called bacterial vaginosis (BV), which affects nearly one in three women worldwide, should be treated as a sexually transmitted disease (STD), according to a new study. Traditionally, BV has been seen as a women’s health problem, but this approach often leaves sexual partners untreated.
Many women with BV experience recurring infections, even after completing a course of antibiotics. Hanae, a participant in the Australian clinical trial, shared her frustration: “I’d get treated, but it would almost always come back.”
Researchers from the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre found that the bacteria causing BV can also live in men, especially on the penile skin and inside the urethra. This means men can unknowingly pass the infection back to their female partners.
In the clinical trial involving 164 monogamous couples, treating both partners with antibiotics significantly lowered the chances of BV returning. Women were given oral antibiotics, and their male partners took oral antibiotics plus a topical cream. The study showed a 60% reduction in reinfection rates when both partners were treated.
BV symptoms can include itching, painful urination, unusual odor, and thin vaginal discharge. However, many women have no symptoms and remain unaware of the infection. Left untreated, BV can increase the risk of acquiring HIV and other STDs. It may also lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, which can cause infertility.
For pregnant women, BV poses serious risks such as premature birth, miscarriage, and low birth weight. This makes early detection and effective treatment especially important.
The study’s findings suggest a paradigm shift is needed in how BV is viewed and treated. Health professionals should encourage treatment of sexual partners to reduce reinfection. Men in the study completed treatment with few side effects, showing that shared responsibility is both practical and effective.
The Melbourne Sexual Health Centre has already updated its protocols to treat both partners. To support wider adoption, the research team has created online resources for couples and healthcare providers about male partner treatment.
This new approach could greatly improve women’s reproductive health and reduce the burden of this common, yet often overlooked, infection.
