title: The effectiveness of single-dose metronidazole therapy for patients and their partners with bacterial vaginosis.
abstract: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial was performed to test the hypothesis that a 2-g single dose of metronidazole for male partners of women with bacterial vaginosis was more effective than placebo in improving cure rate and decreasing recurrence rate. In addition, the effectiveness of a 2-g single dose of metronidazole was compared with a seven-day course of 500 mg of metronidazole twice a day in patients with bacterial vaginosis. Statistically significant benefits of partner treatment were noted in the initial cure rate by Gram-stained smear criteria (P less than .01) and in percentage of women with symptoms eight weeks after initiating therapy (P less than .05). The seven-day course of metronidazole was superior to the single-dose regimen in the percentage of patients with clue cells and the percentage of patients with a positive "sniff" test at the first follow-up visit; however, differences in the initial cure rate assessed by clinical criteria and Gram-stained smear criteria were not statistically significant between the two patient treatment regimens. Recurrence rates by Gram-stained smear criteria between patient and partner treatment groups at five and eight weeks after initiation of treatment were also not significantly different between the two patient regimens. Single-dose metronidazole treatment of the sexual partner of women with bacterial vaginosis improves initial bacterial vaginosis cure rates. The seven-day course of metronidazole was not found by statistical analysis to be significantly superior to single-dose therapy when considering initial cure rates by clinical or Gram-stained smear criteria or recurrence rates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Mengel
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Herman
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Herman
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Koepsell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D012008:Recurrence; D012747:Sexual Partners; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D008795:Metronidazole