The overall agreement of proposed definitions of mucopurulent cervicitis in women at high risk of Chlamydia infection

Acta Derm Venereol. 2010 Sep;90(5):506-11. doi: 10.2340/00015555-0924.

Abstract

The overall agreement between different criteria for cervicitis in women infected with Chlamydia trachomatis and/or Mycoplasma genitalium, and in women who tested negative was examined. Women attending a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases were enrolled because of sexual partners' suspected chlamydia infection. M. genitalium was tested in a sample of first-catch urine and an endocervical specimen, whereas specimens from four different sites were used for detection of C. trachomatis. Signs of friability and purulent endocervical discharge were documented at gynaecological examination. Specimens for microscopy were taken from the endocervix and urethra as well as the vaginal discharge, and bacterial vaginosis was examined for. The criteria being evaluated included cervical friability and/or pus; polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL)/epithelium cell ratio in the vaginal discharge; and more than 30 PMNL per high-power field in the endocervical smear. The overall agreement of the indicators of cervicitis in women infected with C. trachomatis and/or M. genitalium was 40.5% (15/37), and for those women with negative tests 35.3% (12/34). The criteria for cervicitis require further evaluation, including study of a control group of women at low risk of having a sexually transmitted infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Chlamydia Infections / diagnosis*
  • Chlamydia Infections / microbiology
  • Chlamydia Infections / pathology
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / genetics
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / isolation & purification*
  • DNA, Bacterial / isolation & purification
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Mycoplasma Infections / diagnosis*
  • Mycoplasma Infections / microbiology
  • Mycoplasma Infections / pathology
  • Mycoplasma genitalium / genetics
  • Mycoplasma genitalium / isolation & purification*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / diagnosis*
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / microbiology
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / pathology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Sweden
  • Urethritis / diagnosis
  • Urethritis / microbiology
  • Uterine Cervicitis / diagnosis*
  • Uterine Cervicitis / microbiology
  • Uterine Cervicitis / pathology
  • Vaginal Smears
  • Vaginosis, Bacterial / diagnosis*
  • Vaginosis, Bacterial / microbiology
  • Vaginosis, Bacterial / pathology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial