This was a cross-sectional study meant to determine the prevalence of vaginitis and bacterial vaginosis among open population females from Cuernavaca City. The relationship between clinical manifestations, laboratory diagnosis and response to therapy were evaluated as well. A group of 405 sexually active women were enrolled between January and July, 1994. The patients were attending the City Hospital for a regular gynecological consultation, upon their informed consent, they answered a specifically designed questionnaire and had a vaginal secretion sampling. Cotton swabs containing such secretions were employed to measure pH, estimate amines production (fishy odor) and perform both direct microscopic examination and Gram stained smears, which allowed the recognition of yeasts, Trichomonas vaginalis, "clue" cells and normal microflora. Treatments were clotrimazole for candidiasis and metronidazole for trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis. Data obtained were analyzed with statistical programs SPSS/PC and EGRET. Overall, 193 out of 405 women (47.7%) had some genital infection; most frequent was candidiasis with a prevalence of 105/405 (26%), bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis were present in 67/405 (16.5%) and 7/405 (1.7%) of the population, respectively. Clinical features associated to candidiasis were vulvar itching, dyspareunia, vulvar and cervical erythema, cervical inflammation and vaginal secretion. The only sign consistently observed in bacterial vaginosis patients was a yellow secretion. Women with T. vaginalis showed cervical lesions, friability, microhemorragic zones and vaginal secretion. One important factor linked to bacterial vaginosis was to have had premature labor. Therapeutic responses, with clinical and microbiological cure, were 92% for candidiasis; 93% for bacterial vaginosis; and 100% for trichomoniasis. In conclusion, it is of relevance to stimulate sexually active women to care for their genital health to medically diagnose, avoid and control the very common infections assessed in this paper.