A BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS SCREENING TECHNIQUE AND A DIAGNOSTIC KIT FOR USE THEREIN

摘要

A screening test for bacterial vaginosis is performed by (a) combining a sample of vaginal fluid with a developer reagent selected from the group consisting of phenol, derivatives thereof, and mixtures thereof to form a first reaction medium; (b) combining the first reaction medium with a water soluble base and a halogen-containing oxidizing agent to form a second reaction medium having a pH of at least about 9.5; and (c) observing the color of the second reaction medium. The concentration of the halogen-containing oxidizing agent in the second reaction medium is about 0.12 or greater, on a molar basis, than the concentration of the developer reagent in the second reaction medium. The foregoing procedure can be used to test for the presence of amines in any aqueous fluid as well as for synthesizing various dyes.