title: Home Screening for Bacterial Vaginosis to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Longitudinal studies have consistently found a significant association between bacterial vaginosis (BV) and acquisition of sexually transmitted diseases. However, there are limited prospective data to confirm these findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective, randomized, open-label trial of home screening and treatment of young women with asymptomatic BV who were also at high risk for sexually transmitted diseases. These women were screened every 2 months for 12 months and randomized to treatment with oral metronidazole 500 mg twice daily for 7 days or observation alone. The primary outcome was the incidence of gonorrhea and/or chlamydia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1365 subjects were enrolled in the study across 10 sites. Adherence with mailing specimens obtained at home was excellent in both groups (84%-88%). The incidence of gonorrhea and/or chlamydia was 19.1 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval, 15.1-22.1) for the treatment group and 18.5 per 100 person-years (15.1-22.8) for the observation arm, a difference that was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young women were very amenable to home screening for BV, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. Treatment of asymptomatic BV with 1 week of oral metronidazole did not decrease the incidence of gonorrhea and/or chlamydia.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  NCT00667368.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham.
authors.forename: Jane R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Schwebke
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock.
authors.forename: Jeannette Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock.
authors.forename: Shelly
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lensing
authors.affiliation: San Francisco Department of Public Health, California.
authors.forename: Susan S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Philip
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Magee-Women's Hospital of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Harold C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wiesenfeld
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: Arlene C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Seña
authors.affiliation: San Francisco Department of Public Health, California.
authors.forename: Nikole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Trainor
authors.affiliation: Family Health International, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Nincoshka
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Acevado
authors.affiliation: Family Health International, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saylor
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rompalo
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
keywords: STD; bacterial vaginosis; home screening