[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-401203-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-401203-en":131},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","clue-cell-pathogenesis-morphology-and-clinical-significance","Clue cell - Pathogenesis, Morphology and Clinical Significance","","Clue cells are vaginal squamous epithelial cells coated with anaerobic bacteria, especially Gardnerella vaginalis, associated with bacterial vaginosis. Their formation is linked to increased vaginal pH and changes in normal flora, with decreased lactobacilli and relative expansion of anaerobes. Detection is performed on a simple wet mount, where more than 20% clue cells supports BV diagnosis; the sensitivity and specificity for this criterion are reported as 81% and 99%. Clue cells are also described on microscopy and Papanicolaou smears and may help predict postoperative vaginal cuff and wound infections.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/","Healthcare",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/clue-cell-pathogenesis-morphology-and-clinical-significance/401203/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/clue-cell-pathogenesis-morphology-and-clinical-significance/401203.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"BigDaveOnline","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-03","2026-09-27",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",15,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What are clue cells and how are they related to bacterial vaginosis?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Clue cells are vaginal squamous epithelial cells coated with anaerobic gram-variable coccobacilli, mainly Gardnerella vaginalis, along with other anaerobic bacteria. They are characteristic of bacterial vaginosis and provide a diagnostic “clue.”","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How are clue cells detected in practice?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Clue cells can be detected on simple wet mount microscopy of vaginal secretions. An appropriate amount of discharge is placed on a glass slide with normal saline, covered, and examined under light microscopy at 100x and 400x magnifications.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"Why does bacterial vaginosis develop, according to the pathogenesis section?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Clue cell formation is attributed to attachment of adherent G. vaginalis strains to exfoliated vaginal epithelial cells when vaginal pH is elevated. The pH rise follows altered flora with decreased lactobacilli and increased anaerobes, and bacterial enzymes induce lytic changes in coated cells.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},401203,1790742337,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,110,115,120,123,127],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":102,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":116,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":117,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":119},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":118,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":122},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":124,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":124,"slug":126},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":128,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":129,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":130},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":132},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":133,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":107,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":26,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":97,"preview_page_count":4},962090896214,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","Resident’s Page    \nClue cell  \nSilonie Sachdeva  \nDepartment of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana - 141 001, Punjab, India.  \nAddress for correspondence: Dr. Silonie Sachdeva, 1312, Urban Estate, Phase-1, Jalandhar - 144 022, Punjab, India.  \nE-mail: [siloniesachdeva@yahoo.com](siloniesachdeva@yahoo.com)  \nClue cells are vaginal squamous epithelial cells coated with the anaerobic gram-variable coccobacilli Gardnerella vaginalis and other anaerobic bacteria causing bacterial vaginosis. Clue cells were first described by Gardner and Dukes[1] in 1955 and were so named as these cells give an important “clue” to the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis. A clue cell can be detected on simple wet mount of vaginal secretions. To be significant for bacterial vaginosis (BV), more than 20% of the epithelial cells on the wet mount should be clue cells.  \nPATHOGENESIS  \nClue cell phenomenon is attributed to the attachment of adherent strains[2] of G. vaginalis in large numbers to exfoliated epithelial cells of the vagina in presence of an elevated pH. The increase in vaginal pH occurs due to alteration in normal flora characterized by a decrease in lactobacilli and increase in bacteria such as G. vaginalis , Mycoplasma hominis and anaerobes as Mobiluncus, Bacteroides and Peptostreptococcus species. Lactobacilli help to maintain the acidic pH of healthy vagina and inhibit the growth of anaerobic microorganisms through elaboration of hydrogen peroxide. [3] Factors causing the change in flora are poorly understood. Postulates[4] include the menstrual cycle, concomitant infections, sexual activity, contraceptive methods and antibiotic use. An increase in the local pH favors the growth of bacteria causing BV. The bacteria adhere to the surface of epithelial  \ncells leading to formation of clue cells. Lytic cellular changes are induced by the organisms on clue cells by production of enzymes such as sialidases (neuraminidases) allowing the bacteria to invade and destroy the cells.  \nMORPHOLOGY  \nThe clue cells can be demonstrated by microscopic examination of vaginal wet mount preparation. From the speculum, an appropriate amount of vaginal discharge is transferred on the glass slide and a droplet of normal saline is added directly. The preparation is covered with a coverslip and examined under the light microscope at 100x (low power) and 400x (high power) magnifications. The normal vaginal squamous epithelial cells have distinct cell margins and lack granularity [Figure 1] . Clue cells are seen as squamous epithelial cells with large number of coccobacillary organisms, densely attached in clusters to their surfaces giving them a granular appearance. The cytoplasm appears fuzzy (like shading with black pencil) and the edges of thesquamous epithelial cells, which normally have a sharply defined cell border, become indistinct or stippled [Figure 2] . Polymorpho nuclear leukocytes (PMNs) can also be demonstrated on the normal vaginal wet mount preparation. The vaginal discharge of patients with BV is notable for its lack of PMNs, typically 1 or less than 1 PMN per vaginal epithelial cell.  \nHow to cite this article: Sachdeva S. Clue cell. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 2006;72:392-3 .  \nReceived: May, 2006. Accepted: August, 2006. Source of Support: Nil.  \n392 Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol| September-October 2006|Vol 72| Issue 5  \nFigure 1: Diagrammatic representation of normal vaginal squamous epithelial cells with lactobacilli. The cell margins are distinct and lack granularity  \nFigure 2: Diagrammatic representation of clue cells coated with coccobacillary organisms with a granular appearance and stippled border  \nCLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE  \nDetection of clue cells is the most useful single procedure for the diagnosis of BV. Bacterial vaginosis accounts for 10 to 30% of the cases of infectious vaginitis[5] in women of childbearing age and presents with malodorous vaginal discharge and vulvar irr","cbCaiiSAb2pHduSY","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiiSAb2pHduSY","pdf",128713,"English","# PATHOGENESIS\n# MORPHOLOGY\n# CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE\n# REFERENCES","[{\"question\":\"What are clue cells and how are they related to bacterial vaginosis?\",\"answer\":\"Clue cells are vaginal squamous epithelial cells coated with anaerobic gram-variable coccobacilli, mainly Gardnerella vaginalis, along with other anaerobic bacteria. They are characteristic of bacterial vaginosis and provide a diagnostic “clue.”\"},{\"question\":\"How are clue cells detected in practice?\",\"answer\":\"Clue cells can be detected on simple wet mount microscopy of vaginal secretions. An appropriate amount of discharge is placed on a glass slide with normal saline, covered, and examined under light microscopy at 100x and 400x magnifications.\"},{\"question\":\"Why does bacterial vaginosis develop, according to the pathogenesis section?\",\"answer\":\"Clue cell formation is attributed to attachment of adherent G. vaginalis strains to exfoliated vaginal epithelial cells when vaginal pH is elevated. The pH rise follows altered flora with decreased lactobacilli and increased anaerobes, and bacterial enzymes induce lytic changes in coated cells.\"}]","Clue cell - Pathogenesis, Morphology and Clinical Significance | PDF",1790517608]