[Acute upper genital tract infections. II. A. bacteriological study and the therapeutic consequences]

The authors have studied a prospective series of 62 cases of acute upper genital tract infections of different severities. Aerobic and anaerobic bacteriological examination were carried out from different sites: urine, blood, vagina, endocervix, intra-uterine devices and the pouch of Douglas. It is absolutely necessary to follow a strict technique according to the clinical examination in order to interpret the results according to a methodological plan. The results show that the gonococcus was found in 9 out of the 62 cases, which had a very varied flora. The value of the different smears and swabs is then discussed. In this way it is shown that specimens taken from the endocervix are definitely of great value although the ideal is to culture directly from intra-uterine devices or from specimens taken laparoscopically from the tubes. It is possible to give different courses of antibiotics: these should include however active substances against the group of anaerobes, which justifies adding metronidazole routinely. The use of corticoids which are often prescribed to limit the sequelae has not been proven to be of value.