Specific infections of the cervix

The inflammatory changes described above are common to almost all cases of acute cervicitis. In some cases the actual microbiological organism can be identified in the smear  or  may produce a distinctive cytopathic effect  permitting a diagnosis of specific infection.

A list of specific infections that can be identified  by cytology is given below :

• Trichomonas vaginalis
• Candida sp
• Herpes genitalis
• Human Papillomavirus
• Actinomyces sp
• Chlamydia trachomatis
• Parasitic infection with Schistosoma haematobium , S. mansoni and   Fliaria bancrofti can be detected in cervical smears. Granulomatous lesions suggestive of tuberculosis   and cytomegalic inclusions have also been described.

Trichomonas vaginalis	Trichomonas vaginalis	Candida species

Herpes genitalis	Herpes genitalis	Herpes genitalis

Herpes genitalis	Herpes genitalis	Herpes genitalis

Human Papillomavirus infection	Human Papillomavirus infection	Human Papillomavirus infection

Human Papillomavirus infection	Human Papillomavirus infection	Human Papillomavirus infection

Actinomyces species	Actinomyces species	Actinomyces species

Actinomyces species	Chlamidia trachomatis	Chlamidia trachomatis