A positive Gardnerella test may be related to sexual intercourse, or to vaginal disinfections, scratching, and so on. Normal women have no or only a small amount of Gardnerella in their vagina. A positive test for Gardnerella suggests Gardnerella vaginitis, i.e. bacterial vaginitis, which is mainly caused by poor vaginal hygiene, leading to inflammation due to disruption of the vaginal flora. Sexual intercourse can also cause poor vaginal hygiene which can lead to a flora disturbance and a positive test for Gardnerella. When a woman tests positive for Gardnerella, she may experience vulvar itching, vaginal discharge with a fishy odor, and other symptoms, which can lead to chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and other serious sequelae. When testing positive for Gardnerella, active treatment is needed under the guidance of a doctor.