Experiencing Symptoms of Bacterial Vaginosis Should Encourage HIV Testing

Unlike other sexually transmitted diseases, symptoms of bacterial vaginosis were not easily associated with as increased risk of HIV. Other sexually transmitted diseases may cause bleeding and breaks in skin by which it is clearly seen they leave the infected person open to receiving HIV. The symptoms of bacterial vaginosis, however, are not quite so drastic. They may cause discomfort but they do not break the skin. In fact, it is not the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis that can be felt which are the most dangerous, but the ones that are not.

When a woman is experiencing symptoms of bacterial vaginosis, the unseen effect is that the pH in her vagina has been elevated. The balance of bacteria has been thrown off. The good bacteria, which normally serve to protect against infection by producing hydrogen peroxide have been significantly reduced in number. This allows for the bad bacteria to flourish. These bad bacteria are responsible for the raise in pH levels. The virus that is HIV loves this high pH environment and reproduces quickly in it.

The risk of getting HIV being increased by bacterial vaginosis has been found to be greater in women who are generally considered at a low risk for getting HIV when they do not have a vaginal infection. According to researchers, 15% of all HIV cases have occurred because of bacterial vaginosis. Having bacterial vaginosis increases the risk of getting HIV by 60%. While new advancements are constantly being made in the war on HIV and AIDS, taking the chance of getting the disease is still not worth the risk. The percentage of AIDS patients who die from the disease, and the rate of time in which they die is being constantly lowered. However, such a devastating disease changes the whole lives of its victims.

At the very first symptoms of bacterial vaginosis, be sure to get tested for AIDS. While there are a lot of great natural remedies for bacterial vaginosis, there has been no remedy yet found for AIDS. Caution has always been necessary in regards to protecting against sexually transmitted diseases. Yet, since bacterial vaginosis can actually increase the chances of getting AIDS, women who are sexually active and have this infection must understand how important it is to use a condom every time, or better yet, avoid sexually contact altogether when they are having vaginal infections.

These precautions may seem to only add an additional burdened for women who find themselves suffering from recurrent cases of bacterial vaginosis. The bacterial vaginosis has a cure and can go away for good, but if they catch HIV they will find themselves suffering much more and much longer.  These new findings should work as additional motivation for women to find effective treatments for their bacterial vaginosis.