Explanation

Aspergillus niger (vaginal swab): what is measured?

Aspergillus niger is a black fungus that is common on food and in the environment. In a vaginal swab, it usually comes from the environment or from the skin and has no known meaning in healthy women. A vaginal infection with Aspergillus is very rare.

What can it detect?

Presence of yeasts, such as Candida species, which also occur in the vagina without symptoms
Presence of fungi from the environment, such as Aspergillus or Mucor
A picture of the bacteria in the vagina, such as lactic acid bacteria

Result

What does the result mean?

Positive result

A positive result means the yeast or fungus was found in the swab. According to Thuisarts.nl, every woman has bacteria and fungi living in the vagina and this is normal; without symptoms, treatment is not needed. Only with symptoms, such as itching, white discharge, a red, thicker inner lining of the vagina or pain when urinating or having sex, may there be a vaginal yeast infection. According to Thuisarts.nl, this is not dangerous, not an STI and often clears up on its own within 2 weeks.

Negative result

A negative result means the yeast or fungus was not found in this swab. If you have symptoms of vaginal discharge, itching or an unpleasant smell, there may be another cause, such as too much of certain bacteria (bacterial vaginosis), an STI or irritation from soap. This test is not an STI test.

After an abnormal result

Without symptoms, no follow-up or treatment is needed after a positive result. With symptoms, the GP assesses whether it is a yeast infection, too many bacteria or an STI; a yeast infection that causes a lot of discomfort is treated with a cream or vaginal tablet, or with fluconazole to swallow.

Reliability

How reliable is the test?

According to the Dutch GP guideline (NHG) on vaginal discharge (fluor vaginalis), as summarized on Thuisarts.nl, a yeast infection or too many bacteria in the vagina can mainly be recognized by the symptoms and by how the vagina looks; sometimes some fluid is examined under the microscope or in the laboratory. A culture or profile of the vaginal flora shows which bacteria and fungi are present, but not whether they cause symptoms. Because yeasts and many bacteria also occur in healthy women, finding them without symptoms says little.

What can affect the result?

Soap, douching, spermicides or vaginal products shortly before sample collection can change the result.
Antibiotics, antifungal medicines and hormones, such as with the pill, pregnancy or menopause, change the composition of the flora.
With self-collection, too little material may end up on the swab.
Culture and DNA methods, cutoff values and the way results are reported differ between laboratories.

Who it is for

Who is the test useful for?

Useful for

The result says the most with symptoms such as itching, more discharge or discharge that smells different, or pain when urinating or having sex; an STI can also be the cause then. In women without symptoms, a positive result says little: according to the Dutch GP guideline (NHG) on vaginal discharge (via Thuisarts.nl), bacteria and fungi in the vagina are normal and no treatment is needed then. With a yeast infection that comes back more than 3 times a year, the GP looks for a cause together with you.

How common is it?

A vaginal yeast infection is common and, according to Thuisarts.nl, not dangerous and not contagious; in some women it keeps coming back. Candida and other yeasts are also found in the vagina of women without symptoms. How often the individual bacteria and fungi from this test occur in healthy women in the Netherlands has not been recorded in a Dutch source.

Thuisarts.nl (NHG)

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