The demographic and behavioural profile of women with cervicitis infected with Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum and the comparison of two medical regimens.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare the therapeutic effect of single dose oral azithromycin with twice-daily, 7-day doxycycline in women with chlamydial, mycoplasmic or ureaplasmic cervicitis and to demonstrate the demographic and behavioral profile of infected women.


METHODS
Five hundred and thirty-three women with various gynecologic complaints were recruited for this study. All women were screened for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) and Mycoplasma hominis (MH) by enzyme immune assay tests. Patients positive for Neisseria gonorrhoeae were excluded. Women treated for these infections were tested after completing medical therapy. Educational levels of infected women were similar in each group. The prevalence of CT, UU and MH was 3.4% (18/533), 11.8% (63/533) and 0.9% (5/533), respectively. In 452 patients, no treatment was administered. The remaining patients were either treated with azithromycin (n=41) or doxycycline (n=40). The eradication rate for the infectious agents was 87.3% and 93.5% in the group of azithromycin and doxycycline, respectively (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in efficacy between single dose azithromycin and a 7-day course of doxycycline with respect to the treatment of culture-positive cases. Recurrences were observed in five cases in azithromycin group (12.5%) and in three cases in doxycycline group (7.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
The treatment of uncomplicated chlamydial, mycoplasmic and ureaplasmic cervicitis with a single dose of azithromycin administered under supervision in the clinic is as effective as a 7-day course of doxycycline. This regimen may overcome the problem of compliance with the standard twice-daily, 7-day regimen of doxycycline.
Guven
Melih A
MA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,, Kahramanmaras Sutcuimam University, School of Medicine, Hastane cad. No: 32, 46050 Kahramanmaras, Turkey. mguven@ksu.edu.tr
Gunyeli
Ilker
I
Dogan
Muammer
M
Ciragil
Pinar
P
Bakaris
Sevgi
S
Gul
Mustafa
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D019535:Mycoplasma hominis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016990:Ureaplasma urealyticum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017963:Azithromycin; D004318:Doxycycline