In Vitro Ability of the Group B Streptococci to Inhibit Gram-Positive and Gram-Variable Constituents of the Bacterial Flora of the Female Genital Tract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the ability of septicemic and nonsepticemic isolates of group B streptococci (GBS) to inhibit in vitro the principal bacterial groups found in the normal bacterial flora of the female genital tract

Laparoscopic hysterectomy versus abdominal hysterectomy for severe pelvic endometriosis

To compare the surgical outcomes of laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH) versus abdominal hysterectomy (AH) in patients with severe pelvic endometriosis. Methods: A retrospective review of patients undergoing hysterectomy for endometriosis was conducted between January 2002 and December 2007. A total of 503 patients had severe pelvic endometriosis; of these, 115 patients underwent LH and 388 patients underwent AH. Surgical outcomes—including operative time, blood loss, length of hospital stay, and need for blood transfusion—were analyzed and compared between the 2 treatment groups. Results: Operative time was significantly longer for LH than for AH (185.1±48.7 minutes and 139.9±52.4 minutes, respectively; Pb0.001). However, estimated volume of blood loss, length of hospital stay, and complication rates were significantly less for patients in the LH group than for those in the AH group (302.6±255.1 mL versus 760.9±633.2 mL [Pb0.001]; 3.5±1.1 days versus 6.4±3.0 days [Pb0.001]; and 18.3% versus 49.0% [Pb0.001], respectively). Conclusion: Compared with AH, LH was associated with fewer complications. LH should, therefore, be the preferred surgical option for women with severe pelvic endometriosis who require a hysterectomy

Impact of Anaerobic Growth Conditions on Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin-I Production by Staphylococcus aureus

Objective: The impact of anaerobic growth conditions on the Staphylococcus aureus toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) production was studied

Association between HSV-2 and HIV-1 viral load in semen, cervico-vaginal secretions and genital ulcers of Thai men and women.

We studied the association between herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) and HIV-1 viralload in plasma, semen, cervico-vaginal secretions and genital ulcers. Forty-seven (68%) men and 57 (80%) women were HSV-2 antibody positive, of whom 12 (26%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 20, 32) and five (8%, 95% CI 4, 12), respectively, had HSV-2 genital shedding detected by polymerase chain reaction. The mean HIV-1 seminal and cervico-vaginal viral loads did not differ significantly according to the presence of HSV-2 shedding. Eleven men and 15 women presented with genital ulcers; all ulcers were due to HSV-2. Ten men and nine women were followed up over six days: the mean (95% CI) HIV-1 log viral load copies/mL in the genital ulcers at baseline and final visits were 2.5 (2.3, 2.7) and 3.1 (2.0, 4.2) for men and 3.0 (2.6, 3.4) and 2.7 (2.3, 3.1) for women. These findings do not support the hypothesis that HSV-2 increases the HIV-1 viral load in genital secretions

A randomized trial of the impact of multiple micronutrient supplementation on mortality among HIV-infected individuals living in Bangkok.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the impact of high-dose multiple micronutrient supplementation on survival and disease progression among HIV-infected individuals in Thailand. DESIGN: Randomized placebo-controlled trial. METHODS: Four-hundred and eighty-one HIV-infected men and women living in and around Bangkok with CD4 cell counts in the range 50 x 10(6)- 550 x 10(6)/l were randomized to receive micronutrients or placebo for a period of 48 weeks. Trial participants were examined clinically 12-weekly and tested for CD4 cell count 24-weekly. A subset were tested for HIV plasma viral load at 48 weeks. RESULTS: Seventy-nine (16%) trial participants were lost to follow-up and 23 (5%) died. The death rate was lower in the micronutrients arm with the mortality hazard ratios [95% confidence interval (CI)] of 0.53 (0.22-1.25; P = 0.1) overall and 0.37 (0.13-1.06; P = 0.052) and 0.26 (0.07-0.97; P = 0.03) among those with CD4 cell counts < 200 x 10(6)/l and < 100 x 10(6)/l respectively. There was no impact on CD4 cell count or plasma viral load. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple micronutrient supplementation may enhance the survival of HIV-infected individuals with CD4 cell counts < 200 x 10(6)/l. This could have important public health implications in the developing world where access to antiretrovirals remains poor. The clinical findings need to be reproduced in other settings and the mechanism, which appears to be independent of change in CD4 cell count, merits further investigation