Acute pelvic inflammatory disease is a condition associated with infection of the Fallopian tubes. Following childbirth or a miscarriage, infection may ascend through the uterus and reach the Fallopian tubes. Sometimes the initial infection may follow sexual intercourse. The blood count may suggest evidence of infection in the body. Initially, in the acute phase, there is active bacterial infection.
The inflammation may spread to surrounding structures including the ovaries. A variety of names have been used, the most common being salpingitis (inflammation of the Fallopian tubes) and salpingo-oophoritis (inflammation of the tubes and ovaries). In the acute phase, bacteria are present. Typically the patient has general symptoms of infection including feeling unwell, fever and loss of appetite. There is pain in the pelvis and tenderness on either side of the uterus at pelvic examination. Several different bacteria may cause acute pelvic infection. A swab may be taken from the cervix by your doctor. It should be recognised that this is rather remote from the Fallopian tubes. The swab is sent to the laboratory where it is plated out on to a culture medium to allow the responsible bacteria to be identified and the sensitivity to various antibiotics to be tested. Some micro-organisms known to be implicated in pelvic inflammatory disease, such as Mycoplasma hominis, are difficult to culture and may be missed. If the Fallopian tubes are visualised at laparoscopy they appear inflamed.
Related Medical Abstracts - Click on the paper title:-
- Do short-term markers of treatment efficacy predict long-term se quelae of pelvic inflammatory disease?(2008-01)
- Characteristics of women at low risk of STI presenting with pelvic inflammatory disease. (2006-01)
- The impact of age and intrauterine contraception on the clinical course of pelvic inflammatory disease. (2006-02)
- Detection of Mycoplasma genitalium in women with laparoscopically diagnosed acute salpingitis. (2005-01)
- Fecundity and morbidity following acute pelvic inflammatory disease treated with doxycycline and metronidazole. (2003-01)
- Laparoscopic management of suspected acute pelvic inflammatory disease. (2000-01)
- Contraception and pelvic infection in women (1986-01)
- The etiology of pelvic inflammatory disease. (1984-01)
Please click on the required question.
- Q 20. 1 What is an infection.?
- Q 20. 2 What is acute pelvic inflammatory disease?
- Q 20. 3 What is chronic pelvic inflammatory disease?
- Q 20. 4 How is pelvic inflammatory disease treated?
- Q 20. 5 What are pathogenic and commensal micro-organisms?
- Q 20. 6 What is meant by venereal disease?
- Q 20. 7 What problems can occur in people with gonorrhoea?
- Q 20. 8 What problems can occur in people with syphilis?
- Q 20. 9 What problems can occur in people with chlamydia?
- Q 20. 10 What problems can occur in people with human papilloma virus (HPV)
- Q 20. 11 Could I contract a venereal disease without being aware of it?
- Q 20. 12 What is pelvic tuberculosis?
- Q 20. 13 What is pelvic actinomycosis?
- Q 20. 14 What are HIV and AIDs?
- Q 20. 15 How can I avoid getting HIV?
- Q 20. 16 Should I have a test for HIV?
- Q 20. 17 Support Groups.
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This is the personal website of David A Viniker MD FRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London - Specialist Interests - Reproductive Medicine including Infertility, PCOS, PMS, Menopause and HRT.
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