Definite diagnosis of Infections of the female rep

In many cases, the infections of the female reproductive system remain undiagnosed because:

1. In many cases, the methods of detection of the cause of infection and inflammation are of low sensitivity and specificity, whereas there is an overlapping with other microorganisms.

2. In many cases the diagnosis of infections of the female reproductive system is based mainly on the clinical findings and is not made directly but through the process of exclusion of other possible infections. This happens for example in the case of Chlamydial infections since the culture of Chlamydia Trachomatis is difficult and expensive. In this case, the diagnosis of Chlamydial infections is usually not made directly, but is presumed after the exclusion of other possible infections (negative culture for N. Gonnorhhea and negative smears for Gram negative diplococci) in patients with urethritis or cervicitis.

3. In many cases, the infections of the female genitalia are asymptomatic. We characteristically mention that in the case of infection with Chlamydia Trachomatis only 20% of the infected women manifest signs and symptoms of cervicitis, vaginitis or pelvic inflammatory disease.

4. Even if the infection is symptomatic, the pain is usually of small intensity and the vaginal secretions are not so bothering. Due to this fact, frequently both the patient and the doctor do not pay the appropriate attention.

5. In many cases treatment is not successful, especially when treatment is complicated, or if it becomes necessary to treat the s*xual partners as well, leading to recurrence of the infections. It must be noted that in men such infections have mild symptoms and are usually not realized or the appropriate attention is not paid.

6. Quite often there is not a re-examination performed after the completion of treatment, and therefore it is not possible to know if the infectious factor has been eradicated upon completion of the treatment.

As it occurs from the above described data, it is useful to detect the microorganisms mentioned abve, with methods of high specificity and sensitivity, such as the DNA detection methods with the use of gene probes, in the context of investigation of chronic pelvic pain or infertility, even in the case of patients with negative cultures and negative Papanokolaou cervical smears.