Prevalence of asymptomatic genital infection among pregnant women in Benin City, Nigeria.

The prevalence of asymptomatic genital infection among pregnant women and their susceptibility to antibacterial agents was investigated to provide baseline data on common asymptomatic genital microorganisms and identify potentials for development of clinical disease among this cohort of patients. High vaginal swabs were obtained from five hundred consecutive and consenting pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and the Central Hospital, both in Benin City, Nigeria. A total of three hundred specimens showed significant microbial growth, giving a prevalence rate of 60% for asymptomatic genital infections. Candida albicans (65%), Staphylococcus aureus (51.8%) and Enterobacteriacae (E. coli and Klebsiella species) were predominantly isolated, followed by Trichomonas vaginalis and Neisseria gonorrhoea. Most of the bacterial isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, cotrimoxazole, norfloxacin and augmentin. All the isolates except Streptococcus faecalis were resistant to ampicillin. These results show a high rate of asymptomatic genital tract infections among pregnant women in Benin City, which have implications for adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.