Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in Portuguese pregnant women and vaginal colonization by Gardnerella vaginalis

Supplemental information for this article can be found online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/ peerj.3750#supplemental-information.Background We aimed to determine the prevalence of vaginal colonization by Gardnerella vaginalis and of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in Portuguese pregnant women, and to identify risk factors for BV and G. vaginalis colonization in pregnancy. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women aged 18 years who were attending in two public hospitals of the Northwest region of Portugal. Epidemiological data was collected by anonymous questionnaire. BV was diagnosed by Nugent criteria and G. vaginalis presence was identified by polymerase chain reaction. Crude associations between the study variables and BV or G. vaginalis colonization were quantified by odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results The prevalences of BV and of G. vaginalis colonization among Portuguese pregnant women were 3.88% and 67.48%, respectively. Previous preterm delivery and colonization by G. vaginalis were factors with very high OR, but only statistically significant for a 90% CI. Conversely, higher rates of G. vaginalis colonization were found in women with basic educational level (OR = 2.77, 95% CI [1.335.78]), during the second trimester of pregnancy (OR = 6.12, 95% CI [1.8020.85]) and with BV flora (OR = 8.73, 95% CI [0.50153.60]). Discussion Despite the lower number of women with BV, prevalence ratios and association with risk factors were similar to recent European studies. However, the percentage of healthy women colonized by G. vaginalis was significantly higher than many previous studies, confirming that G. vaginalis colonization does not always lead to BV development.This work was supported by the FCT Strategic Project of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit. DM was funded by the FCT individual fellowship SFRH/BD/87569/2012. NC is an investigator FCT. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Experience Of Occupational Therapists Practicing In Rural Kenya

In Kenya, occupational therapy, which is slowly gaining attention, is still concentrated in the cities with a very small number working in rural areas. Occupational therapy practice in rural areas is impacted by various factors that are naturally occurring in rural settings such as poor infrastructure, cultural beliefs and values, language barriers, economic statuses, lack of resources, geographical barriers, lack of transportation and limited number of occupational therapists. In this study, three occupational therapists were interviewed as well as photographs of the resources used in these rural settings were collected in order to understand the nature of their work in that context. The data collected shows the challenges they face which include weather, lack of transportation, poverty, geographical barriers, language barriers and cultural beliefs. Some of the skills that they have developed over the years include creativity, perseverance, ability to empower and cultural literacy. These are self-coping skills and strategies that they have found to be very helpful to them and to other future occupational therapist looking to work in the rural areas