Sexual behaviour and condom use among individuals with a history of symptomatic genital herpes.

OBJECTIVES: This study describes the differences in sexual behaviour in individuals with genital herpes (GH) during "symptomatic" and "asymptomatic" periods of the disease. METHODS: A cross sectional questionnaire was undertaken by 1193 individuals attending clinics between 1998 and 2001. All participants in this analysis were in heterosexual, monogamous partnerships, self identified with a history of symptomatic GH and with confirmed HSV-2 infection. RESULTS: Sexual activity reported during asymptomatic v symptomatic periods of GH was 98% v 40% (p<0.001), 76% v 29% (p<0.001), and 25% v 11% (p<0.001) for vaginal, oral, and anal intercourse, respectively, while "always" condom use during asymptomatic and symptomatic periods was 20% v 35% (p<0.001), 2% v 7% (p<0.001), and 10% v 15% (p = 0.131), respectively. The proportion of individuals who either abstained from vaginal intercourse or "always" used condoms was 21% v 74% (p<0.001), for asymptomatic v symptomatic periods. Multivariable analyses indicated that factors associated with engaging in intercourse during symptomatic periods of GH included current intrauterine device use (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.46 to 6.02); living in Latin America (aOR = 2.16, CI = 1.19 to 3.91) or Europe (aOR = 1.67, CI = 1.21 to 2.28), compared with North America; previous sexually transmitted disease (aOR = 1.42, CI = 1.08 to 1.89); a higher number of sexual acts per month (aOR = 1.09, CI = 1.06 to 1.11); and a higher number of GH recurrences per year (aOR = 1.08, CI = 1.03 to 1.12). CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that the majority of people with GH either abstained from intercourse or "always" used condoms during symptomatic periods of GH. However, condom use was relatively low during asymptomatic periods in comparison with symptomatic periods. These results highlight that further education on GH prevention is warranted, particularly for symptomatic periods.

[Antibacterial drug resistance of gram-negative agents causing urinary infections in female outpatients in Russia: results of multicenter study]. / Rezistentnost' gramotritsatel'nykh vozbuditelei infektsii mochevyvodiashchikh putei k antibakterial'nym preparatam u ambulatornykh patsientok v Rossii. Rezul'taty mnogotsentrovogo issledovaniia.

AIM: To investigate the spectrum of gram-negative agents causing acute and recurrent cystitis in outpatients and sensitivity of uropathogenic E. coli to antibacterial drugs; to compare drug resistance of uropathogenic E. coli isolated in Russia and other countries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The spectrum of gram-negative bacteria was identified in 299 cases of acute and recurrent cystitis in Moscow, Smolensk and Novosibirsk. 271 E. coli uropathogenic strains were examined according to CA-SFM and NCCLS criteria for sensitivity to ampicilline, gentamycin, trimetoprim, co-trimoxasol, nitrofurantoine, nalidixic acid, pipemidine acid, norfloxacine, ciprofloxacine, nitroxoline. RESULTS: E. coli, K. pneumoniae, K. oxytoca, P. mirabilis, P. vulgaris caused acute and recurrent cystitis in 90.6, 6.4, 1, 1.7, 0.3% of the examinees, respectively. For Moscow relative agents were: E. coli (80.8%), K. pneumoniae (13.1%), K. oxytoca (2.3%), P. mirabilis (3.1%), P. vulgaris (0.7%). In Smolensk E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis were isolated in 96.3, 2.5 and 1.2%, respectively. E. coli occurred in 100% of Novosibirsk cases. Mean Russian values of the resistance to ampicilline, gentamycin, trimetoprim, co-trimoxasol, nitrofurantoin, nalidixic acid, pipemidine acid, norfloxacine, ciprofloxacine, nitroxoline were the following: 33.3, 5.9, 20.3, 18.4, 2.9, 5.5, 4.4, 2.6, 2.6 and 94.1%, respectively. Resistance to 2 and more drugs was registered in 18.4% of E. coli strains. CONCLUSION: Cystitis in women was in most cases caused by E. coli. The highest resistance among uropathogenic strains E. coli was observed to nitroxoline, ampicilline, trimetoprim and co-trimoxasole; maximal antibacterial activity against uropathogenic E. coli was shown by fluoroquinolones (norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin).

[Practical approaches of antibiotics choice in uncomplicated urinary tract infections]. / Prakticheskie podkhody k vyboru antibiotikov pri neoslozhnennykh infektsiiakh mochevyvodiashchikh putei.

Infections of the urinary tract (IUT) belong to the most prevalent infectious diseases. Acute cystitis is the most frequent symptom of uncomplicated IUT. The main agents of IUT are gram-negative enterobacteria, mainly Escherichia coli (80%). The agents of uncomplicated IUT are the least resistant (5%) to fluoroquinolones (norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin). The duration of antibiotic therapy for acute cystitis is determined predominantly by risk factors: a 7-day course is recommended for cases with risk factors and a 3-day one for cases without risk factors. In acute pyelonephritis antibiotic therapy should be longer (10-14 days). Preventive therapy is recommended for patients with frequent relapses of IUT.