Current perspectives in the USA on the diagnosis and treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease in adolescents.

In this review, the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) are discussed from a USA perspective and the difficulties that USA adolescents face in recognizing and seeking care for PID and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are emphasized. Females aged 15-24 years have the highest incidence of cervical infection with Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrheae, the principal causes of PID. PID is common in this age group. However, the incidence of PID in the USA is not known, because it is not a reportable disease, and because clinicians vary in the criteria used for the diagnosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the following diagnostic criteria that include lower abdominal or pelvic pain and at least one of the following: adnexal tenderness or cervical motion tenderness or uterine tenderness. Because PID can have serious sequelae, the criteria emphasize sensitivity (few false-negatives) at the expense of specificity (some false-positives). Patients who have PID are usually treated in the outpatient setting, following the CDC's Guidelines for the Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases 2015. They receive one dose of an intramuscular cephalosporin, together with 2 weeks of oral doxy cycline, and sometimes oral metronidazole. Improvement should usually be evident in 3 days. The USA does not offer comprehensive sex education for adolescents in public or private schools. Adolescents are unlikely to recognize the symptoms of PID and seek medical treatment. Confidentiality is important to adolescents, and low cost or free sources of confidential care are uncommon, making it unlikely that an adolescent would seek care even if she suspected an STI. The CDC has concluded that screening programs for chlamydia and gonorrhea infection help prevent PID; however, the lack of appropriate sources of care makes adolescents' participation in screening programs unlikely.

Azithromycin efficacy in the treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis among detained youth.

We assessed the efficacy of azithromycin among detained adolescents with Chlamydia trachomatis. Infected adolescents took azithromycin and submitted a test of cure. Of the 128 youth, 5 patients experienced treatment failure. We found that azithromycin was 96.1% (95% confidence interval, 91.1%-98.8%) effective in treating chlamydia infections, supporting its continued use.

Epidemiology of infections in women.

This article describes the epidemiologic profiles of sexually transmitted infections seen in US women. We present a brief description of the infectious agent, describe the epidemiology of the infection among women in terms of race/ethnicity and age (if those data are available), and present what is known about the behavioral risk factors associated with acquisition.

Body art among minority high school athletes: prevalence, interest and satisfaction; parental knowledge and consent.

Of 997 minority high school students, 8.6% had tattoos and 8% piercings (excluding earlobes); 21% with tattoos and 59% with piercings would not repeat the experience. Fifty-eight percent with tattoos and 43% with piercings reported parental knowledge before the procedure; 75% and 80%, respectively, were asked for proof of parental consent.

Condom use in incarcerated adolescent males: knowledge and practice.

BACKGROUND: Information is limited on how well adolescents use condoms and where they learn how. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine how often incarcerated males used condoms incorrectly and where, how, and from whom they learned condom use. STUDY: This study consisted of an interviewer-administered survey during intake physicals at a juvenile detention center. Results were based on self-report; condom use models were not used. RESULTS: During usual use among 141 males, errors included failure to secure the condom to the penis on withdrawal (37%), loss of erection before condom removal (18%), and failure to leave space at the tip (14%). Learning occurred at home (27%), school (23%), probation/detention facilities (14%), and community programs (3.4%). Subjects learned from educators/counselors (37%), family (27%), and friends (6.9%). Methods of learning included reading the package insert (45%), demonstrations (39%), explanations (33%), and media (19%). CONCLUSIONS: These adolescents had relatively few condom errors. Common methods of learning correct condom use included observing a demonstration, reading the package insert, and hearing an explanation. The last 2 methods are easy to implement.

The epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections in adolescents.

This article addresses the epidemiology of several common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in adolescents. Chlamydia is a common occurrence in adolescents, more so than is gonorrhea, but both are of particular concern because they may cause pelvic inflammatory disease. Many experts recommend screening for chlamydia in sexually active adolescents, particularly females. Trichomonas vaginalis is significant as a marker for risk of contracting other STIs and because of its association with pregnancy complications and with increased risk of transmission of HIV. Genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, which usually has been caused by HSV-2, is a common finding in adolescents, and it now is caused also by HSV-1 in some populations. Human papillomavirus (HPV), though widespread in adolescents, usually is a self-limited infection, and malignancy resulting from HPV is a rare occurrence in this age group. The least common of the diseases discussed below is syphilis, but a recent sharp increase in incidence has occurred in men who have sex with men.

Self-assessment of circumcision status by adolescents.

In epidemiologic studies of the relation between circumcision and sexually transmitted infections, it is necessary to rely on self-report of circumcision status. The purpose of this 2002 study in Houston, Texas, was to determine whether adolescent males could make correct self-reports. During physical examinations, adolescents were asked whether they were circumcised. The authors then examined the adolescents' genitalia. Circumcision status was recorded as complete (glans penis fully exposed), partial (glans partly covered), or uncircumcised (glans completely covered). The mean age of the 1,508 subjects was 15.0 (standard deviation, 1.63) years; 64% were Black, 29% Hispanic, and 7% White. Forty-nine percent had full, 1% partial, and 50% no circumcision. Of the 738 fully circumcised subjects, 512 (69%) considered themselves circumcised, 54 (7%) considered themselves uncircumcised, and 172 (23%) did not know. Of the 751 uncircumcised youth, 491 (65%) described themselves as uncircumcised, 27 (4%) reported being circumcised, and 233 (31%) did not know. The sensitivity of self-report among those who thought they knew their status was 90.5%, and the specificity was 94.8%; 27% did not know their status. In this population, self-report of circumcision status did not result in accurate information mainly because many adolescents were unsure of their status.

Prevalence and incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease in incarcerated adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Few recent studies have determined the prevalence and incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) among adolescents. GOAL: The goal of this study was to determine these parameters among incarcerated youths. STUDY DESIGN: Both on admission and during incarceration, consecutive adolescents entering the Harris County, Texas, Juvenile Detention Center were evaluated for symptoms of PID. One of two experienced clinicians examined adolescents with possible PID. For the diagnosis of PID, we used the minimal criteria of the CDC. RESULTS: In sexually active heterosexual or bisexual adolescents (N = 313), the prevalence of PID at admission was 4.5%; during the first 31 days of incarceration, the incidence density of PID was 3.3 cases/100 person-months, and the cumulative incidence was 2.2%. The prevalence among these youths of chlamydial and/or gonorrheal infection, as determined by urine or cervical testing, was 24.9%. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence and incidence of PID underscore the need for effective programs to eradicate chlamydial and gonorrheal infections in high-risk youths.

Pelvic inflammatory disease in adolescents: a review.

Pelvic inflammatory disease is relatively common in sexually active adolescents. Most cases are only mildly symptomatic, and criteria for diagnosis should not be stringent. Although chlamydial or gonorrheal infections or both are common in pelvic inflammatory disease, other aerobic and anaerobic organisms are often also present and may be the only causative agents. Commonly used initial therapy, e.g., ceftriaxone and doxycycline, treats some but not all of these organisms. Patients should be seen within 48 to 72 hours after initiating therapy; lack of improvement suggests noncompliance with antibiotic therapy, the need for broader-spectrum antibiotic coverage, a tubo-ovarian abscess, or a mistake in diagnosis. Important preventive measures include screening of sexually active, asymptomatic adolescents for gonorrheal and chlamydial infections, not only in clinics for sexually transmitted diseases and family planning but also in primary care settings. Urine tests that amplify chlamydial and gonococcal nucleic acid are noninvasive and very accurate.