Gardnerella Positive: Is Bacterial Vaginosis an STD?
Medically reviewed by our MD Laboratory Director (a role required by CLIA; the director's name is on file in the CMS CLIA database, #45D2048957, and can be verified independently) · Editorial policy
Bacterial vaginosis is not an STI — and a Gardnerella line on a PCR report is not, by itself, a diagnosis.CLIA #45D2048957 · CAP #8722734 · Same-day results · Walk-ins welcome
No. Gardnerella vaginalis is part of the vaginal flora in many healthy women, and bacterial vaginosis — a shift in the balance of that flora — is not classified as a sexually transmitted infection. BV is real, it is common, and it is treatable. It is also frequently over-diagnosed off a single PCR line.
Not sure what you need? Text us and we will set it up.
📱 Text (713) 832-8892 📞 Call (713) 266-0808
📱 Text (713) 832-8892 📞 Call (713) 266-0808
3707 Westcenter Dr Suite 100, Houston, TX 77042 · Walk-ins welcome
Colonization, BV, and STI are three different things
| What it is | Action | |
|---|---|---|
| Gardnerella detected, no symptoms | Common colonization | Usually none |
| Bacterial vaginosis | Flora imbalance: discharge, odor, irritation | Treated per CDC — metronidazole and clindamycin appear in the guidelines |
| Trichomonas | A genuine STI with overlapping symptoms | Treated; partner treatment matters |
BV is associated with increased risk of acquiring other infections and with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Not being an STI does not make it unimportant.
Why we test for it anyway
Because the symptoms overlap with trichomonas and with candidiasis, and because guessing wrong means treating the wrong thing. The panel distinguishes them — and the physician decides whether what was detected explains what you are feeling.
We name drugs, never doses. Treatment statements follow CDC guidance; the physician decides what you actually take.
Same day, start to finish. Sample by 1:00 PM → results at 4:30 PM → if treatment is clinically appropriate, a licensed physician in our partner network sees you between 4:30 and 6:00 PM, a few minutes away. That window is reserved for patients tested here, and your slot is held the moment we take your sample — the slot is held, not hunted. On your own, a same-day appointment is nearly impossible; at an urgent care, you wait in the queue. STAT: ~2 hours, sample in by 3:00 PM.
FAQ
- Did I get BV from my partner?
- BV is not classified as an STI. Sexual activity can influence vaginal flora, but this is not an infidelity question.
- Do I need treatment if I have no symptoms?
- Usually not. Symptomatic BV is treated; an incidental Gardnerella line generally is not.
- Does BV keep coming back?
- Recurrence is common and frustrating. Discuss it with the physician rather than repeating over-the-counter cycles.
- Could it be trichomonas instead?
- Possibly — the panel tests for both. See trichomonas testing.
Not sure what you need? Text us and we will set it up.
📱 Text (713) 832-8892 📞 Call (713) 266-0808
📱 Text (713) 832-8892 📞 Call (713) 266-0808
3707 Westcenter Dr Suite 100, Houston, TX 77042 · Walk-ins welcome
References
- CDC — STI Treatment Guidelines, 2021
- CDC — Bacterial Vaginosis
- Our CLIA #45D2048957 and CAP #8722734 credentials — verify them yourself
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