Gardnerella vaginalis by PCR — Marylebone
Strictly confidential Gardnerella vaginalis by PCR at Wimpole Street Medical & Dental, 22 Wimpole Street, from 1 October 2026. Nurse-taken sample, UKAS-accredited laboratory, results via secure portal.
From 1 October 2026 — until then book at South Kensington or St Paul's.
Price
£106
All-inclusive price
- Results within 2 days"
- Confidential service
- No GP referral needed
- Professional clinical environment
- Results via secure portal
- Nurse-led expert care
Wimpole Street, Marylebone (opening 1 October 2026)
Opening hours from 1 October 2026
- Monday
- 9am – 6pm
- Tuesday
- 9am – 8pm
- Wednesday
- 9am – 6pm
- Thursday
- 9am – 8pm
- Friday
- 8am – 5pm
- Saturday
- 10am – 4pm
- Sunday
- Closed
- Bond Street — about 6 minutes (Central, Jubilee & Elizabeth lines)
- Oxford Circus — about 7 minutes (Central, Bakerloo & Victoria lines)
Wimpole Street, Marylebone
Among the sexual health options at Wimpole Street, the Gardnerella vaginalis by PCR is the one to choose when the concern is bacterial Vaginosis, vaginal Infection and sexually Transmitted Infection. It costs £106, and once the Marylebone clinic opens on 1 October 2026 a nurse takes the swab, swab for PCR and first-catch urine sample with the laboratory typically reporting in 2 days. Testing is strictly confidential except where disclosure is required by law, and medical services are for patients aged 16 and over.
Gardnerella vaginalis by PCR’s place in sexual health testing
- Sample
- swab, swab for PCR and first-catch urine sample
- Laboratory turnaround
- 2 days
- Appointment
- 20 minutes
- Standard price
- £106
What Gardnerella vaginalis by PCR measures
Laboratories file the Gardnerella vaginalis by PCR under bacterial Vaginosis, vaginal Infection and sexually Transmitted Infection. The following sections set out how a sexual health test of this kind is measured and read.
General sexual health tests cover infections and conditions of the genital tract that fall outside the major named STIs: bacterial vaginosis and vaginitis profiles that culture and PCR for Gardnerella, Candida and other organisms; lesion swabs for less common infections such as chancroid; and blood-borne virus screens after a needle-stick or other exposure. They are chosen when symptoms are present but the cause is unclear, or when a specific exposure needs to be assessed.
Preparing for your Gardnerella vaginalis by PCR
- 1Avoid douching, vaginal creams or pessaries for 48 hours before a vaginal swab, as they can mask organisms.
- 2Do not pass urine for at least an hour before a urine-based test, so the sample contains enough cells.
- 3Following a needle-stick, a baseline sample is taken as soon as possible and repeated at intervals; the nurse will explain the schedule.
- 4Antibiotics taken in the previous fortnight can reduce the yield of culture — mention them.
Sample for this test: swab, swab for PCR and first-catch urine sample.
Who considers Gardnerella vaginalis by PCR
- People often consider these tests if they have unusual discharge, odour, itching or soreness that has not settled.
- A recent needle-stick, bite or splash exposure at work is a common reason for a blood-borne virus screen.
- Recurrent thrush or bacterial vaginosis despite treatment frequently prompts a fuller profile.
- A genital ulcer that does not fit a familiar pattern may be swabbed for several organisms at once.
- Some people want a symptom-led assessment rather than a standard STI screen.
Understanding your Gardnerella vaginalis by PCR results
A vaginitis profile reports which organisms were found and in what quantity; some, like Gardnerella, are present in small amounts in many healthy people, so the pattern rather than a single positive matters. Positive results for a specific pathogen usually indicate treatment and partner notification where relevant, and the report explains this. A negative screen after a needle-stick is reassuring for that time point but is repeated at 6 and 12 weeks to cover the window period.
Sexual health results are interpreted with symptoms, exposure history and timing, and a negative result within the window period does not exclude infection.
Severe pelvic or testicular pain, a high fever with discharge, or difficulty passing urine should be assessed urgently — contact NHS 111 or your nearest sexual health service rather than waiting for a booked appointment.
Related areas of testing at Wimpole Street: STI screening profiles, mycoplasma, ureaplasma and trichomonas, swab tests, urine tests.
Pricing
Payment is collected at the clinic. No additional fees apply for this test.
From booking the Gardnerella vaginalis by PCR to reading your result
- 1
Choose your test
Select the Gardnerella vaginalis by PCR and any others you want run from the same visit. Until 1 October 2026 the identical test can be booked at South Kensington or St Paul’s.
- 2
Nurse-led sample
From 1 October 2026 the swab, swab for PCR and first-catch urine sample is taken at 22 Wimpole Street, Marylebone by our nursing team, led by Precious Agbonmamwen, Registered Adult Nurse (NMC 20H1641E). Identity is checked and any preparation questions answered first.
- 3
UKAS-accredited laboratory
The sample travels to a UKAS-accredited partner laboratory, whose methods and reference ranges match those used across the NHS and private sectors.
- 4
Laboratory report to your secure portal
The laboratory report is released to your secure portal — typically from 24 hours; the laboratory quotes 2 days for this test. It shows each value against the reference range and flags anything outside it; discuss the report with your GP or a clinician.
Why test at Wimpole Street
Wimpole Street Medical & Dental opens at 22 Wimpole Street on 1 October 2026. Medical services are for patients aged 16 and over; registration with the CQC is in progress ahead of opening.
Wimpole Street, Marylebone (opening 1 October 2026)
- Bond Street — about 6 minutes (Central, Jubilee & Elizabeth lines)
- Oxford Circus — about 7 minutes (Central, Bakerloo & Victoria lines)
- Samples go to a UKAS-accredited partner laboratory using validated PCR and serology methods.
- Registration with the CQC is in progress ahead of opening and the service follows BASHH testing guidance.
- The nurse can explain window periods before you test, so you are not paying for a result that is too early to be meaningful.
Frequently Asked Questions
A swab, swab for PCR and first-catch urine sample. A nurse or phlebotomist collects it at 22 Wimpole Street, Marylebone from 1 October 2026; the appointment allows time for identity checks and any preparation questions. The laboratory quotes 2 days for this test.
Other tests often considered alongside Gardnerella vaginalis by PCR
- Vaginitis/BV Profile using Culture & PCR Swab (Self-collect)Wimpole Street, Marylebone · from 1 October 2026
- Haemophilus ducreyi by PCRWimpole Street, Marylebone · from 1 October 2026
- Vaginitis/BV Profile (Culture & PCR)Wimpole Street, Marylebone · from 1 October 2026
- STI Bronze- PCR SwabWimpole Street, Marylebone · from 1 October 2026
Ready to Get Tested?
Wimpole Street opens 1 October 2026. Register your interest, or book the same strictly confidential test now at South Kensington or St Paul's.
Important information about the Gardnerella vaginalis by PCR at Wimpole Street
- Medical services at Wimpole Street Medical & Dental are for patients aged 16 and over.
- This is a self-referral service: you choose the test and book directly — no GP referral is needed.
- Nurse-led by Precious Agbonmamwen, Registered Adult Nurse (NMC 20H1641E), who oversees sample-taking standards, infection control and the patient pathway. The nursing team does not interpret results.
- A laboratory result is not a diagnosis and this page is not a substitute for medical advice. We do not provide clinical interpretation of results — please discuss your report with your GP or a clinician, particularly if a value is flagged or you have symptoms.
- CQC registration for Wimpole Street is in progress ahead of the opening on 1 October 2026; our South Kensington and St Paul’s clinics are CQC registered.
- Your results are held on a secure portal and treated as strictly confidential, except where disclosure is required by law.
- If you are seriously unwell, call 999. For urgent advice that is not an emergency, call NHS 111.
