Title: A forgotten factor in pelvic inflammatory disease: infection in the male partner.

POPLINE Document Number: 048969

Author(s):

Jacob M
Shahmanesh M
Whatley J
Thin N

Source citation:

BMJ. British Medical Journal, 1987 Apr 4;294(6576):869.

Abstract:

Infection by Chlamydia trachomatis has been increasingly implicated in the etiology of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women. However, little attention has been given to the male sexual partners of women with the disease. This study investigated women who presented at a sexually transmitted diseases clinic with symptoms of PID as well as their sexual partners in the preceding 3 months. The criteria for diagnosing PID were lower abdominal pain with or without vaginal discharge, adnexal tenderness with or without adnexal mass, and positive cervical excitation. 58 women were diagnosed with PID and C trachomatis was isolated from the cervixes of 16 (36%) of these women. 46 (56%) of the male sexual partners of these 58 women had nongonococcal urethritis, although 36 were symptom free. C trachomatis was isolated from 10 of the 36 men cultured, 7 of whom were asymptomatic. 11 of the 58 women with positive chlamydia cultures were taking oral contraceptives compared with 7 of the 29 women with negative cultures. Only 4 patients were using an IUD. These findings indicate a high incidence of nongonococcal urethritis among the male partners of women with PID and suggest a need to trace the sexual contacts of all women who present with PID.

Keywords:

Adnexitis
Adnexal Effects
Genital Effects, Female
Urogenital Effects
Diseases
Chlamydia
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Infections
Bacterial and Fungal Diseases
Men
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Reproductive Tract Infections
Genitalia, Female
Genitalia
Urogenital System
Physiology
Biology
Demographic Factors
Population