The Sunday Mail
At least eight out of every ten Zimbabwean women occasionally experience bouts of a common yeast infection known as vaginal thrush, a senior health official has said.
Dr Owen Mugurungi, the Director of the TB and Aids unit in the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHHC) said vaginal thrush is a common infection.
“The general surveys that we periodically conduct reveals that at least eight out of every ten women have been treated of the infection.
Furthermore, between 70 and 80 percent of women have vaginal thrush. The figure might actually be high since some of the women are not aware of the fact that they have the infection,” Dr Mugurungi said.
Dr Mugurungi said the majority of women do not seek medical treatment for the condition.
Vaginal thrush is a yeast (fungal) infection that is characterised by symptoms such as pain during sexual intercourse, itchiness, swelling of the vaginal wall, redness, discomfort, pain around the outside of the vagina, vaginal lacerations and discharges.
The discharge is whitish and not smelly.
Dr Mugurungi said vaginal thrush is not sexually transmitted but it is often misunderstood since its symptoms are similar to those of sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia and bacterial vaginosis.
According to Dr Mugurungi, substances that changes the biological environment of the female reproductive trek can cause vagina thrush.
Sanitary pads, the persistent use of tampons, antibiotics, deodorants and detergents, among others are some of the main agents of the infection.
“The use of tampons can result in the development of vaginal thrush since the infection usually develops where there is moisture. Women are advised to use sanitary pads during their menstruation periods,” said Dr Mugurungi.
The issue of personal hygiene is crucial for women in preventing the development of vaginal yeast infection.
Dr Bernard Madzima, the Director of Family Health in the MOHCC, advised women not to wash their sexual organs using soap.
“Women’s sexual organs should not be washed by soap. The organs only require water. Many detergents change the biological environment of the sexual organ, this can cause several negative effects,” he said.
He also urged women to wear cotton undergarments and avoid tight fitting clothes.
Dr Madzima explained that vaginal thrush can also develop if there is an increase in the uptake of yeast in one’s body.
“All females are born with certain levels of yeast in their bodies. The yeast is used to manufacture a hormone that produces an acid that cleans the vagina,” he said.
He added that the persistent intake of drugs that contain yeast such as antibiotics and some contraceptive pills that contain estrogen can result in the development of vaginal thrush.
Dr Madzima said the infection can be treated by anti-fungal medication but can re-appear after treatment in women with suppressed immune systems.
Pregnant, diabetic and HIV positive women have higher chances of developing vaginal thrush.
