Blue Waffle Disease: Is it Real? Symptoms, Causes and Treatments

The disease of blue waffles is a term that began to circulate through Internet around the year 2010 referring to a supposed disease of incurable sexual transmission, which affects only women and that apparently produces a blue or green-blue coloration of the vagina.

Undoubtedly, this term generated panic, though unfounded, given that neither the ICD-9 nor the ICD-10 -compendices that include the description of all the diseases known to date- include this term or any description that resembles it.

So that more than a disease, it is possible that it is a viral content that spread on the Internet as gunpowder, but that did not really endanger anyone's life. The term"blue waffle disease"came to occupy the first place in Google searches.

Is it a real disease?

The international medical community, especially specialists in gynecology, have not reported a single clinically well-substantiated case to support the existence of this disease.

On the other hand, there is no description of any entity that resembles it neither in the compendiums of diseases such as the CIE (International Classification of Diseases) nor in the semiology texts. Nor is there any publication in serious scientific journals that suggests that it is a real disease.

Considering the above, the answer to whether it is a real disease is a categorical no.

General symptoms associated with vaginal infections

The most common symptoms of vaginal infections (which are not necessarily sexually transmitted diseases) are pathological vaginal discharge, pain during intercourse and, in some cases, bad odor.

On the other hand, there are sexually transmitted infections such as HPV, syphilis and gonorrhea, which in most cases are asymptomatic and are not detected unless special tests are done.

Regarding vaginal discharge, the classic description includes three main types of flow:

- White, lumpy flow, like cut milk and no odor.

- Flow dark brown to brown, with the smell of decomposed fish.

- Yellow-greenish flow, usually pruritic.

What could the symptoms of blue waffle disease be due to?

At this point, it falls into the field of speculation, given that since no case has been documented in a serious manner and in accordance with clinical research standards, it is not clear what is being described. Then, determining a cause is almost an empirical divination exercise for a fictitious nosological entity.

The truth is that there are no descriptions to date that the vagina take a blue color for any infection.

Trauma

However, it is not unreasonable to think that due to trauma, very energetic sexual relations, rape or some other type of aggression in the genital area, some woman may present bruises in the area of ​​the vagina and perineum.

Even so, if this were the case, it is hard to believe that an experienced doctor has mistaken a bruise for a new infectious disease.

Tincture

There is a possibility that a genital wart was stained with gentian violet, which would explain that type of coloration; however, once again we fall into the territory of speculation.

Flow

And the flow? Between 40 and 50% of women have abnormal vaginal discharge, so it is not surprising that the suspected disease is associated with a vaginal discharge, although this is most likely due to well-known infections such as vaginal candidosis, trichomoniasis or even bacterial vaginosis.

Causes

Depending on the characteristics of the flow, a diagnostic approach can be made to the etiological agent:

White, lumpy flow, like cut milk and no odor

This flow is usually a consequence of vaginal candidiasis. Candida is a fungus that lives in the vagina without causing discomfort, but in certain conditions grows more than usual, generating a fungal infection. In these cases the cardinal symptom is the presence of abnormal flow.

Flow dark brown to brown, with the smell of decomposed fish

This type of flow is usually due to infection by a protozoon known as vaginal trichomonias, which produces an infection called trichomoniasis.

The flow is usually very annoying and the smell is penetrating, in some cases being associated with dyspareunia (pain during sexual intercourse).

Occasionally cervical cancer can also generate dark discharge, with traces of blood and a bad smell, although in those cases it is not more penetrating and does not remember the smell of decomposed fish.

Yellow-greenish flow, usually pruritic

This type of flow is usually due to bacterial infections of the polymicrobial type (multiple causative agents).

Once known as nonspecific vaginosis and nowadays as bacterial vaginosis, this infection is quite common. Although the characteristics of the flow can be alarming, it does not represent any danger to the life of the affected person.

Blue flow

In the case of blue coloration of the vaginal mucosa, there is no well-established nosological entity where a flow with such characteristics is described.

However, it can not be ruled out that some topical treatment such as gentian violet or the coloration of the vaginal mucosa with methylene blue for some study results in a bluish flow due to the residual pigment.

As for the bruises, it is almost impossible, even for an untrained eye, to confuse a bruise with another medical condition, especially because there is usually a cause-effect relationship with a previous traumatic event, which makes the diagnosis very simple to perform.

Treatments

Since it is not a disease whose existence has been confirmed, there is no treatment to recommend for it. However, what can be recommended is the regular consultation with the gynecologist, so that this indicates the treatments that are necessary according to the clinical findings.

Use of barrier contraceptives

On the other hand, it is recommended to prevent vaginal infections as well as sexually transmitted diseases through the use of barrier methods (male or female condoms), especially if sporadic sexual relations with strangers are maintained.

Gynecological consultation

It is important to note that cervical cancer, a real and potentially lethal disease, remains the second leading cause of female mortality in many regions of the world. This should cause a real alarm.

For this reason, it is recommended to consult with the gynecologist once or twice a year and the cervical cytology screening of any woman of childbearing age or active sex life.

By doing this, it will be possible to identify not only cases of cervical cancer, but also women at risk, which will help to reduce deaths from this disease, very real and dangerous, for which if it is justified to be worried.

References

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3. Nugent, R. P., Krohn, M.A., & Hillier, S.L. (1991). Reliability of Diagnostic bacterial vaginosis is improved by a standardized method of gram stain interpretation. Journal of clinical microbiology , 29 (2), 297-301.
4. Phillips, R. S., Aronson, M.D., Taylor, W.C., & Safran, C. (1987). Should tests for Chlamydia trachomatis cervical infection be done during routine gynecologic visits?: An analysis of the costs of alternative strategies. Annals of internal medicine , 107 (2), 188-194.
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