Genital Tract Infections A. Alobaid, MBBS, FRCS(C), FACOG Consultant, Gynecologic Oncology Assistant professor, KSU Medical Director, Women’s Specialized Hospital King Fahad Medical City

The normal vaginal flora is predominately aerobic organisms The most common is the H+ peroxide producing lactobacilli The normal PH is <4.5 Normal vaginal secretions ↑ in the middle of the cycle because of ↑ in the amount of cervical mucus

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) It is caused by alteration of the normal flora, with over-growth of anaerobic bacteria It is triggered by ↑ PH of the vagina (intercourse, douches) Recurrences are common

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) Diagnosis: Fishy odor (especially after intercourse) Gray secretions Presence of clue cells PH >4.5 +ve whiff test (adding KOH to the vaginal secretions will give a fishy odor)

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) Treatment: Flagyl 500mg Po Bid for one week (95% cure) Flagyl 2g PO x1 (84% cure) Flagyl gel PV Clindamycin cream PV Clindamycin PO Treatment of the partner is not recommended

Trichomonas Vaginalis It is an anaerobic parasite, that exists only in trophozite form 60% of patients also have BV 70% of males will contract the disease with single exposure Patients should be tested for other STDs (HIV, Syphilis)

Trichomonas Vaginalis Diagnosis: Profuse, purulent malodorous discharge It may be accompanied by vulvar pruritis Secretions may exudate from the vagina If severe → patchy vaginal edema and strawberry cervix PH >5 Microscopy: motile trichomands and ↑ leukocytes Clue cells may if BV is present Whiff test may be +ve

Trichomonas Vaginalis Treatment: Falgyl PO (single or multi dose) Flagyl gel is not effective The partner should be treated

Candidiasis 75% of women will have at least once during their life 45% of women will have two or more episodes/year 90% of yeast infections are secondary to Candida Albican Other species (glabrata, tropicalis) tend to be resistant to treatment

Candidiasis Predisposing factors: Antibiotics: disrupting the normal flora by ↓ lactobacilli Pregnancy (↓ cell-mediated immunity) Diabetes

Candidiasis Diagnosis: Vulvar pruritis and burning The discharge vary from watery to thick cottage cheese discharge Vaginal soreness and dysparunea Splash dysuria O/E: erythema and edema of the labia and vulva The vagina may be erythematous with adherent whitish discharge Cervix is normal PH< 4.5budding yeast or mycelia on microscopy The culture will confirm the diagnosis

Candidiasis Treatment: Topical Azole drugs (80-90% effective) Fluconazole is equally effective (Diflucan 150mg PO x1), but symptoms will not disappear for 2-3 days 1% hydrocortisone cream may be used as an adjuvant treatment for vulvar irritation Chronic infections may need long-term treatment (6 months) with weekly Fluconazole

Inflammatory Vaginitis Diffuse exudative discharge with epithelial cells exfoliation The cause is uncertain but could be Strept The treatment is with clindamycin cream 30% of patients will have relapse

Atrophic Vaginitis In post-menopausal women May be accompanied by purulent discharge, dysparunea and post-coital bleeding It is treated with topical Estrogen cream

Cervicitis Neisseria Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Trachomatis infect only the glandular epithelium and are responsible for mucopurulent endocervisitis (MPC) Ectocx epithelium is continuous with the vaginal epithelium, so Trichomonas, HSV and Candida may cause ectocx inflammation

Cervicitis Tests for Gonorrhea (culture on Thayer- martin media) and Chlamydia (ELISA, direct IFA) should be performed

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) Ascending infection, ? Up to the peritoneal cavity Organisms: Chlamydia, N Gonorrhea Less often: H Influenza, group A Strept, Pneumococci, E-coli

PID Diagnosis: difficult because of wide variation of signs and symptoms Clinical triad: fever, pelvic pain and cervical motion and adnexal tenderness Cervical motion tenderness indicate peritoneal inflammation Patients may or may not have mucopurulent discharge

PID

PID

Tubo-ovarian Abscess (TOA) End-stage PID Causes agglutination of pelvic organs (tubes, ovaries and bowel) 75% of patients respond to IV antibiotics Drainage may be necessary

Genital ulcer disease Mostly caused by HSV or Syphilis, then chancroid, LGV, and granuloma inguinale (donovanosis) Other causes: abrasions, drug eruptions, cancer and behcet’s disease

Genital ulcer disease Have to R/O syphilis by serology, dark field examination or direct IF for Treponema pallidum Culture for HSV

Genital ulcer disease

Genital ulcer disease Still ¼ of the diagnosis is made by clinical examination only: Syphilis: non-painful, min. tender ulcer, not accompanied by LAP HSV: grouped vesicles mixed with ulcers with a history of similar lesions Chancroid: 1-3 extremely painful ulcers with tender inguinal LAP LGV: inguinal bubo without ulcers

Genital ulcer disease Treatment: Chancroid: Azithromycin 1gm PO x1, ceftazidime 250mg IM x1, or Erythromycin Herpes: 1st episode is treated with acyclovir, this will not eradicate the infection, recurrences are common, for patients with > 6 recurrences/year → daily suppressive treatment is indicated (will not eliminate viral shedding and transmission) Syphilis: Benzathine Pen G 2.4 million units IM x1 dose

Genital Warts Condyloma accuminata secondary to HPV infection (usually 6&11), these are non-oncogenic types Usually at areas affected by coitus (posterior fourchette) 75% of partners are infected when exposed Recurrences after treatment are secondary to reactivation of subclinical infection

Genital Warts

HIV 20-25% of patients are women 36% is secondary to heterosexual transmission Median age between HIV infection and AIDS is 10 years

HIV Diagnosis: by HIV1 antibody test, screening by ELISA, if +ve → confirm by western blot 95% of the antibody is detected within 6 months of the infection Patients are referred to a an infectious disease specialist for treatment CD4 is the best indicator of disease progression

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