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Vaginitis Differential · 11-Target Molecular Panel

Stop Treating Vaginitis Empirically.

Stop guessing between BV, candidiasis, and trich. Resolve all three — plus the Lactobacillus depletion that drives recurrence — in one specimen.

The Vaginitis Lab at Chaseville
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Vaginitis Targets
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Lactobacillus Species
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Syndromes Differentiated
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Hour TAT for results
The clinical problem
Vaginitis is the most over-treated diagnosis in primary care.

Symptomatic vaginitis is treated empirically more often than it's accurately diagnosed. The result is recurrent symptoms, repeated metronidazole courses, missed candidiasis, and a frustrated patient cycling through providers.

Our 11-target panel identifies BV-associated organisms, Candida species, Trichomonas, and quantifies Lactobacillus depletion patterns — so you can prescribe the right therapy the first time, and explain why the last three didn't work.

By the Numbers

The clinical weight behind this panel.

Industry statistics from public-health bodies and peer-reviewed literature — context for why this testing matters.

29.2%
U.S. prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in women 14–49

The most common vaginal condition in reproductive-age women.

Source · CDC NHANES
84%
of BV cases are asymptomatic

Yet BV doubles HIV acquisition risk and predisposes to PID.

Source · CDC
75%
of women experience at least one VVC (yeast) episode in their lifetime
Source · CDC
increased preterm birth risk with untreated BV in pregnancy
Source · ACOG

Figures reflect publicly reported epidemiology and clinical literature for context only. They are not performance claims for the Chaseville Labs assay. See individual citations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, National Institutes of Health, and peer-reviewed journals.

What This Panel Diagnoses

Conditions, syndromes & infections covered.

The clinical scenarios where this panel is the right call — built around the differential your providers are actually working through.

Bacterial Vaginosis & Dysbiosis

3
Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)

Gardnerella, BVAB-2, Fannyhessea, Megasphaera, Mobiluncus, Prevotella — the polymicrobial pattern that defines BV.

Clinical Impact ·Molecular alternative to Amsel/Nugent with higher sensitivity — identifies the dysbiosis pattern that drives recurrence.
Lactobacillus Depletion

Quantifies the loss of protective L. crispatus, L. gasseri, L. jensenii — and the L. iners predominance that often precedes dysbiosis.

Clinical Impact ·Explains why BV keeps coming back and supports probiotic / vaginal microbiome restoration strategies.
Aerobic Vaginitis

E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus, and group B Strep — non-BV inflammatory pictures often misdiagnosed and mistreated.

Clinical Impact ·Targeted antibiotic selection — metronidazole won't touch these organisms.

Yeast & Parasitic Infections

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Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (VVC)

Species-level Candida ID — C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis.

Clinical Impact ·Non-albicans species (especially C. glabrata, C. krusei) frequently fail empirical fluconazole — drives boric acid or alternative azole selection.
Trichomoniasis (Trichomonas vaginalis)

Sexually transmitted protozoan causing frothy discharge, dyspareunia, and increased HIV-acquisition risk.

Clinical Impact ·Wet-mount microscopy misses 40–50% of cases — molecular catches what the eye doesn't. Treats both partners with metronidazole/tinidazole.

Pregnancy & Recurrent Symptoms

3
Group B Strep Colonization (GBS / S. agalactiae)

Vaginal/rectal colonization during pregnancy — asymptomatic in the mother, devastating for the newborn.

Clinical Impact ·Drives intrapartum penicillin prophylaxis to prevent neonatal sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis.
Recurrent or Treatment-Refractory Vaginitis

The patient cycling through metronidazole, fluconazole, and back again with no relief.

Clinical Impact ·Resolves the actual organism mix so empirical guessing stops and targeted therapy starts.
Chancroid (Haemophilus ducreyi)

Painful genital ulcers — rare in the U.S. but consequential when missed.

Clinical Impact ·Detection supports azithromycin or ceftriaxone therapy and partner notification.
Complete Target List

10 targets, resolved from a single specimen.

Each organism below is reported individually as Detected, Not Detected, or Inconclusive — grouped here by pathogen class for clinical scanability.

BV Organisms

3 targets
Gardnerella vaginalisFannyhessea vaginaeMegasphaera phylotype 1

Lactobacillus

2 targets
Lactobacillus crispatusLactobacillus jensenii

Candida

2 targets
Candida albicansCandida glabrata

Other

3 targets
Trichomonas vaginalisStreptococcus agalactiae (GBS)Staphylococcus aureus
Why Molecular

Culture was built for a different century.

Multiplex real-time PCR resolves what culture and rapid antigen miss — fastidious organisms, polymicrobial infections, viruses, and resistance markers — from a single specimen.

Conventional
The Old Way

Culture & rapid antigen

  • 3–5 days
    Patient empirically treated before any answer arrives
  • Misses fastidious & viral organisms
    No growth ≠ no infection
  • Single-organism bias
    Polymicrobial infections under-reported
  • No resistance data
    Susceptibilities arrive a day later, if at all
  • Specimen-quality dependent
    Pre-treated patients culture negative
Multiplex PCR
The CRL Way

Women's Health on Bio-Rad CFX384

  • 24–48 hours
    Most reports back the next clinical day
  • 10 targets, one run
    Bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic in a single multiplex
  • Detects what culture can't
    Fastidious organisms, viruses, and polymicrobial infections, all reported individually
  • Validated LDT
    CLIA-certified, internally controlled, per-target Detected / Not Detected reporting
Primary Specimen
Vaginal swab, Copan E-swab
Collection Container
ESwab or vaginal collection device
Volume
Per collection protocol
Storage
2–8°C up to 72 hours
Transport
Pre-paid FedEx Priority Overnight
Stability
Validated per storage condition
Chain of Custody
Barcoded, temperature-logged in transit
Result Format

Per-target results, with clinical context.

Every analyte is reported individually as Detected, Not Detected, or Inconclusive. What a Detected result means clinically depends on which category the target falls into:

BV Organisms
Gardnerella vaginalisFannyhessea vaginaeMegasphaera phylotype 1
If Detected

Detection of Gardnerella plus BVAB-2, Fannyhessea, Megasphaera, Mobiluncus, or Prevotella supports a molecular BV diagnosis with higher sensitivity than Amsel/Nugent and identifies dysbiosis that drives recurrence.

Lactobacillus
Lactobacillus crispatusLactobacillus jensenii
If Detected

Lactobacillus species (especially L. crispatus and L. jensenii) reflect a healthy, protective vaginal microbiome. L. iners predominance is often transitional and may precede dysbiosis.

Candida
Candida albicansCandida glabrata
If Detected

Species-level Candida identification matters: C. glabrata, C. krusei, and C. parapsilosis frequently fail empiric fluconazole and require boric acid or alternative azoles.

Other
Trichomonas vaginalisStreptococcus agalactiae (GBS)Staphylococcus aureus
If Detected

Trichomonas confirms trichomoniasis; GBS detection informs prenatal management; S. aureus, E. coli, and Enterococcus may explain aerobic vaginitis or non-BV inflammatory pictures.

Qualitative multiplex real-time PCR (Bio-Rad CFX384)
Turnaround: 24–48 hours