Search

Background: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is the second most common vulvovaginitis (VV). About 20% of women will experience recurrent infections in their lifetime with non-albicans Candida (NAC) species being one of the causative agents. Although studies have looked at risk factors for recurrent VVC they are limited in scope. In this study, we explore whether risks of recurrent VVC are increased with NAC infections compared to Candida albicans infections. Methods: Through an institutional review board-approved retrospective chart review, we identified 174 women with positive yeast cultures and followed their charts to assess recurrent visits and treatments. We also assessed several baseline variables such as race, age, body mass index (BMI), obstetric history, probiotic use, contraceptive use, mycological therapy, steroid use, hormone replacement therapy, menopausal status, and medical comorbidities. Results: Women with NAC VV were more likely to have multiple visits for recurring infections compared to women who had C. albicans VV (66% vs. 34%). The women with multiple recurrences were younger, had a lower BMI, had lower parity, and endorsed higher use of probiotics. Conclusion: Women with positive NAC cultures were more likely to have multiple visits to their physicians for VV complaints. Identifying the causative species using vaginal fungal cultures can more accurately guide therapy and lead to better outcomes for these patients.

Over 26 million cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) have been reported in the United States with over 440 000 deaths. Despite COVID‐19 vaccine approval, pregnant women were excluded from clinical trials. We report a case of immune thrombocytopenia in the first trimester, which occurred 13 days after initiating the COVID‐19 vaccination series. Thorough evaluation, including hematology consultation, established the diagnosis. High‐dose oral corticosteroids were started, and she was discharged home with significant improvement in platelet count on her fourth day of hospitalization with no subsequent complications. We advocate that the benefits of COVID‐19 vaccination outweigh the risk of infection in pregnancy and that pregnant women should be included in clinical trials. Closer post‐vaccination surveillance may be warranted in the pregnant population pending further data.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal problem in reproductive-age women. Recurrent BV, defined as having at least three BV episodes in one year, causes significant psychological distress and can prove challenging to resolve. Using 16S rRNA sequencing, we characterized the vaginal microbiome of 63 women aged 18–40 years. We compared the vaginal microbiome of 17 patients presenting with an acute episode of recurrent BV to 46 healthy controls. The effect of oral Metronidazole treatment on the vaginal microbiome of the recurrent BV patients was analyzed 7–10 days and 30–40 days after the completed the standard 7-day oral twice-a-day Metronidazole treatment regimen. Beta diversity (unweighted UniFrac distances) of recurrent BV patients’ vaginal microbiome differed significantly from healthy controls (p = 0.01). Compared to controls, Mycoplasma, Veillonella, and Sneathia genera were more dominant in the recurrent BV cohort, while Lactobacilleacae was less abundant. After one week of oral Metronidazole treatment, recurrent BV patients’ vaginal microbiome was significantly altered [alpha diversity, p = 0.005; beta diversity, p = 0.03], and there was an increase in healthy commensals such as Lactobacillaceae. However, these changes were not sustained one month after treatment. Our findings show that the vaginal microbiome of recurrent BV patients differs from healthy controls, and that Metronidazole as monotherapy may be insufficient treatment for recurrent BV, as it only alters the vaginal microbiome temporarily. Future investigations into alternative therapies that restore a healthy vaginal microbiome are necessary.

Objective This study aimed to systematically review the relative effectiveness of preincision cefazolin with or without adjunctive prophylaxis (macrolides or metronidazole) vs cefazolin alone in decreasing the incidence of postcesarean delivery surgical site infections. Data Sources We performed a systematic search on PubMed, Ovid EMBASE, Google Scholar, ClinicalTrials.gov , and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from October 25, 2020, to November 25, 2020, to identify studies comparing cefazolin with adjunctive macrolides or metronidazole with cefazolin alone. The reference lists were reviewed, and a manual search of articles published after the last database search was performed. Study Eligibility Criteria Overall, 3 randomized controlled trials and 1 prospective observational study of reproductive-age women undergoing cesarean deliveries were included in the study. We excluded studies of women who were immunocompromised (eg, patients who were HIV positive) or women with a diagnosis of chorioamnionitis before cesarean delivery. All patients received first-line cefazolin (either cefazolin 1 g or 2 g). We compared preincision cefazolin alone with preincision cefazolin plus adjunctive therapy (500 mg, oral or intravenous formulations of azithromycin, metronidazole, or clarithromycin). Methods A total of 6 review authors independently assessed the risk of bias for each study, using the Cochrane Risk of Bias criteria. Synthesis and further appraisal were done using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation levels and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists appraisal guidelines. Disagreements were resolved by discussion. Treatment effects were evaluated using meta-analysis, and pooled relative risks and 95% confidence intervals were generated using random-effects models using the Review Manager 5 software (version 5.4.1). Results Overall, 3 randomized controlled trials and 1 prospective observational study representing 2613 women met the criteria for inclusion. Significant reductions in surgical site infections (relative risk, 0.46; 95% confidence interval, 0.34–0.63; 3 randomized controlled trials) and the duration of hospital stay (weighted mean difference, −1.46; 95% confidence interval, −2.21 to −0.71; 2 randomized controlled trials) were observed with preincision cefazolin and adjunctive prophylaxis compared with cefazolin alone. No significant difference was observed in maternal febrile morbidity (relative risk, 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.11–1.25; 2 randomized controlled trials). Conclusion Our findings have provided evidence for the use of preincision adjunctive extended-spectrum prophylaxis with cefazolin over cefazolin alone. However, future investigations are required to establish the relative efficacies of different adjunctive antibiotic options.

Objective To compare the success rate, complications, and hospital length-of-stay of 3 modalities of minimally invasive management of tubo-ovarian abscesses (TOAs): laparoscopy, ultrasound-guided drainage, and computed tomography–guided drainage. Data Sources Electronic-based search in PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, using the following Medical Subject Heading terms: “minimally invasive surgical procedures,” “drainage,” “abscess,” “tubo-ovarian,” “ovarian diseases,” and “fallopian tube diseases.” Methods of Study Selection Of the 831 articles in the initial results, 10 studies were eligible for inclusion in our systematic review. Tabulation, Integration, and Results A total of 975 patients were included in our study; 107 (11%) had laparoscopic drainage procedures, and 406 (42%) had image-guided (ultrasound or computed tomography) drainage of TOAs. Image-guided TOA drainage had higher success rates (90%–100%) than laparoscopic drainage (89%–96%) and the use of antibiotic treatment alone (65%–83%). Patients treated with image-guided drainage had no complications (for up to 6 months of follow-up) and shorter lengths of hospital stay (0–3 days on average) compared with laparoscopic drainage (5–12 days) or conservative management with antibiotics alone (7–9 days). Conclusion Although conservative management of TOAs with antibiotics alone remains first-line, our review indicates that better outcomes in the management of TOA were achieved by minimally invasive approach compared with conservative treatment with antibiotics only. Of the minimally invasive techniques, image-guided drainage of TOAs provided the highest success rates, the fewest complications, and the shortest hospital stays compared with laparoscopy. The low magnitude of evidence in the included studies calls for further randomized trials. This systematic review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Review (register, http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO;CRD 42020170345).

The purpose of this study is to build and validate a statistical model to predict infection after caesarean delivery (CD).Patient and surgical variables within 30 d of CD were collected on 2419 women. Postpartum infection included surgical site infection, urinary tract infection, endomyometritis and pneumonia. The data were split into model development and internal validation (1 January-31 August; N = 1641) and temporal validation subsets (1 September-31 December; N = 778). Logistic regression models were fit to the data with concordance index and calibration curves used to assess accuracy. Internal validation was performed with bootstrapping correcting for bias.Postoperative infection occurred in 8% (95% CI 7.3-9.9), with 5% meeting CDC criteria for surgical site infections (SSI) (95% CI 4.1-5.8). Eight variables were predictive for infection: increasing BMI, higher number of prior Caesarean deliveries, emergent Caesarean delivery, Caesarean for failure to progress, skin closure using stainless steel staples, chorioamnionitis, maternal asthma and lower gestational age. The model discriminated between women with and without infection on internal validation (concordance index = 0.71 95% CI 0.67-0.76) and temporal validation (concordance index = 0.70, 95% CI 0.62, 0.78).Our model accurately predicts risk of infection after CD. Identification of patients at risk for postoperative infection allows for individualized patient care and counseling.

The primary objective of the study was to determine the risk of postpartum urinary tract infection (UTI) in women exposed to intermittent versus indwelling catheterization in labor. The secondary objective was to identify risk factors for development of postpartum UTI. A case-control study was conducted between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2016. Cases were defined as patients who were diagnosed with UTI and controls were not diagnosed with UTI. Obstetrical, infectious, and catheterization variables were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. A total of 26,517 full-term vaginal deliveries occurred during the study period with a rate of postpartum UTI of 0.7%. There were 166 cases and 695 controls included in the analysis. There was no significant difference in the rate of UTI between patients who underwent indwelling versus intermittent (reference) catheterization (OR 1.05, 95% CI: 0.67–1.64, p = .826). On multivariate analysis, significant risk factors for UTI included the relationship between use of catheterization and duration of labor (p = .026) and history of UTI during the pregnancy (p In this study, there was no difference in the rate of postpartum UTI based on catheterization method. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal method of catheterization during labor and to enable providers to implement quality improvement strategies aimed at decreasing the risk of infection.

Molecular tests to diagnose conditions involving the disruption of normal microbiota are difficult to optimize. Using Nugent-scored Gram stain (NS) as the reference standard, we evaluated the performance of 3 molecular assays for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and examined the impact of an incremental increase in bacterial targets. The BD Affirm assay includes a DNA probe for Gardnerella vaginalis, the Hologic transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) analyte-specific reagent (ASR) assay adds a second Lactobacillus sp. target, and the recently cleared in vitro diagnostic use (IVD) Aptima BV assay includes a third target (Atopobium vaginae). The diagnosis of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) by the Affirm and Candida vaginitis Hologic TMA ASR assays was assessed using microscopy for yeast as the reference standard. From May to December 2018, 111 women with vaginitis symptoms prompting the clinician to order an Affirm test were enrolled with informed consent for the collection of additional specimens. Clinicians accurately predicted BV as the most likely diagnosis for 71% of the 45 patients with BV. Coinfection occurred in 13.5% of patients. For BV, the specificity of the Aptima IVD assay (86.3%) was higher than the Affirm assay (60.6%, P = 0.0002), but sensitivities were not significantly different. For VVC, the sensitivity of the ASR assay (100%) was higher than Affirm (75.9%; P = 0.023) and the specificity of the Affirm assay (98.8%) was higher than the ASR assay (86.6%; P = 0.004).

The purpose of this study is to identify the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) after Cesarean delivery (CD) and to determine if any factors increase risk of infection.A retrospective cohort study was performed at a multi-center institution for patients who underwent CD in 2013. All patients had urinary catheters inserted before surgery. Diagnosis followed IDSA guidelines with culture growing greater than 10Of 2419 patients, 36 patients developed CAUTI (1.5%). In the 24 (66.7%) cases diagnosed by IDSA guidelines, Escherichia coli was the most common causative organism (54.1%); followed by Enterococcus faecalis (16.7%), Streptococccus agalactiae (8.3%), and Group A Streptococcus (8.3%). Longer operative time (OR 1.013; 95% 1.002-1.023; p = .02) and pregnancies complicated by STI (OR 4.15; 95% CI 1.11-15.0; p .05) were associated with higher rates of CAUTI.The overall rate of CAUTI after CD was low at 1.5%. Escherichia coli was the most common causative pathogen. Identification of the patients at high risk for CAUTI allows for risk reduction measures.

Background:The 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic poses unique challenges to healthcare delivery. To limit the exposure of providers and patients to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages providers to use telehealth platforms whenever possible. Given the maternal mortality crisis in the United States and the compounding 2019 coronavirus disease public health emergency, continued access to quality preconception, prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care are essential to the health and well-being of mother and baby.Objective:This commentary explores unique opportunities to optimize virtual obstetric care for low-risk and high-risk mothers at each stage of pregnancy.Methods:In this review paper, we present evidence-based literature and tools from first-hand experience implementing telemedicine in obstetric care clinics during the pandemic.Results:Using the best evidence-based practices with telemedicine, health care providers can deliver care in the safest, most respectful, and appropriate way possible while providing the critical support necessary in pregnancy. In reviewing the literature, several studies endorse the implementation of specific tools outlined in this article, to facilitate the implementation of telemedicine. From a quality improvement standpoint, evidence-based telemedicine provides a solution for overburdened healthcare systems, greater confidentiality for obstetric services, and a personalized avenue for health care providers to meet maternal health needs in the pandemic.Conclusion:During the COVID-19 pandemic, continued access to quality prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care are essential to the health and well-being of mother and baby.

To identify the rate of surgical site infection (SSI) after Cesarean delivery (CD) and determine risk factors predictive for infection at a large academic institution.This was a retrospective cohort study in women undergoing CD during 2013. SSIs were defined by Centers for Disease Control (CDC) criteria. Chi square and t-tests were used for bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify SSI risk factors.In 2419 patients, the rate of SSI was 5.5% (n = 133) with cellulitis in 4.9% (n = 118), deep incisional infection in 0.6% (n = 15) and intra-abdominal infection in 0.3% (n = 7). On multivariate analysis, SSI was higher among CD for labor arrest (OR 2.4; 95%CI 1.6-3.5; p .001). Preterm labor (OR 2.8; 95%CI 1.3-6.0; p = .01) and general anesthesia (OR 4.4; 95%CI 2.0-9.8; p = .003) were predictive for SSI. Increasing BMI (OR 1.1; 95%CI 1.05-1.09; p = .02), asthma (OR 1.9; 95%CI 1.1-3.2; p = .02) and smoking (OR 1.9; 95%CI 1.1-3.2; p = .02) were associated with increased SSI.Several patient and surgical variables are associated with increased rate of SSI after CD. Identification of risk factors for SSI after CD is important for targeted implementation of quality improvement measures and infection control interventions.

To identify the rate of postpartum endomyometritis (PPE) after cesarean delivery (CD) in the era of antibiotic prophylaxis and determine risk factors.A single institution retrospective study was performed in women undergoing CD. Data regarding obstetrical and surgical variables were collected. Diagnosis of PPE was made clinically.Among 2419 patients, the rate of PPE was 1.6% (n = 38) and was associated with lower age (27.0 versus 31.0; p .001). 65.7% of patients having chorioamnionitits developed PPE, but only 5.4% of patients without PPE had chorioamnionitis (p .001). On multivariate analysis, PPE was higher in emergent versus scheduled CD (OR: 5.89; p = .0081). There was no difference in PPE for cefazolin 2 g versus 1 g (OR: 1.91; p = .17) or 3 g versus 1 g (OR: 3.69; p = .29), gentamicin/clindamycin versus cefazolin (OR: 5.60; p .001) had higher PPE. Women with PPE were more likely to have labor arrest (OR: 4.336; p = .001), sexually transmitted infection during the pregnancy (OR: 4.197; p = .02) or blood transfusion (OR: 9.50; p .0001).While the overall rate of PPE was low, several risk factors were identified. Preoperative diagnosis of chorioamnionitits is associated with a higher rate of PPE. Further studies are needed to identify optimal regimens for antimicrobial prophylaxis in women undergoing CD.

Vulvar and vaginal disorders are among the most common problems seen in ambulatory care. The cause is usually infectious, but noninfectious causes should also be considered, and differentiating them can be challenging. Accurate diagnosis based on patient history, physical examination, and laboratory testing is necessary so that effective therapy can be chosen.

Background Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal condition affecting women of reproductive age and yet it remains poorly understood. Recurrent BV causes significant emotional and psychological distress and can prove difficult to resolve with currently available treatments. We aimed to investigate the microbiome of recurrent BV patients at various time points in relation to oral Metronidazole treatment. Methods Women aged 18–40 years, with recurrent BV, were prospectively enrolled. Vaginal samples (lavage) were collected at baseline (D0), at 7–10 days (D7) and 30–40 days (D30) after initiation of oral metronidazole treatment (500 mg BID, 7 days). DNA was extracted, amplified using primers targeting the V3-V4 region of the 16 srRNA, and then sequenced and processed through a hybrid Qiime MICCA bioinformatics pipeline. Results Seventeen recurrent BV patients were enrolled. Alpha diversity decreased (P = 0.0049) after the first week of treatment with oral metronidazole, but increased (P = 0.0062) to near baseline by D30. Lactobacillus iners, was the dominant Lactobacillus, with transient increase in this species corresponding with metronidazole treatment. There was also a decrease in Gardnerella vaginalis that re-normalized to baseline at 30 days. Of the 10 recurrent BV patients with data for all three time points, 4 relapsed by D30. Β diversity differed significantly between patients that relapsed and those that did not (p = 0.044). Alpha diversity did not differ between the groups (p = 0.07). Conclusion The dominant Lactobacillus pretreatment in this cohort was L.iners. Oral metronidazole was associated with a decrease in alpha diversity, decrease in G. vaginalis and increase in L. iners. Although L. iners increased after metronidazole treatment, this increase was not sustained by D30. Treatment with metronidazole, only temporarily altered the microbiome. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of L. iners in recurrent BV. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Background Bacterial vaginosis (BV) affects nearly 1 in 3 women in the United States and is poorly understood. The study of the vaginal microbiome, using 16S rRNA-gene amplicon sequencing, has increased our knowledge of BV. We aimed to characterize the vaginal microbiome of women with recurrent BV firstly in comparison to controls, and secondly in comparison to a sub-population of our asymptomatic controls, positive for Gardnerella vaginalis via a vaginal pathogens DNA direct probe test (DNA probe). Methods Women aged 18–40 years, with recurrent BV, and asymptomatic controls were prospectively enrolled. Vaginal samples were collected from each participant. DNA was extracted, amplified using primers targeting the V3-V4 variable region of the 16S rRNA-gene, and then sequenced and processed through a hybrid Qiime MICCA bioinformatics pipeline. We also tested for G. vaginalis using the DNA probe. Results Seventeen recurrent BV patients and 46 controls were enrolled. Β diversity (P = 0.045), but not alpha diversity (P = 0.076) differed between groups. The genera Gardnerella and Prevotella were relatively more abundant, while Lactobacillus was relatively less abundant in recurrent BV vs. control groups. Of the patients for whom results of the DNA probe for Gardnerella vaginalis were available, 11 (69%) recurrent BV patients and 14 (35%) controls were positive. Control patients, negative by the DNA probe test, showed decreased alpha diversity (P = 0.0001) and significantly different β diversity (P = 0.001) compared with recurrent BV patients. Neither alpha (P = 0.31) nor β (P = 0.096) diversity differed between recurrent BV patients and controls that were G. vaginalis positive. Conclusion The microbiome of recurrent BV patients is distinct from that of asymptomatic controls; recurrent BV patients exhibit different β diversity, less Lactobacillus and more Gardnerella and Prevotella. Asymptomatic Gardnerella vaginalis-colonized controls demonstrate similar microbiome profiles to those of recurrent BV patients. These findings suggest that individual factors may influence whether or not a patient with a BV microbiomic profile experiences symptoms. Further investigation into these mechanisms could yield insights into the treatment of recurrent BV. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Objective: Mycoplasma genitalium has been recognized as a cause of male urethritis, and there is now evidence suggesting it causes cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women. Methods: Prevalence, risk factors and co-infections with other sexually transmitted pathogens were collected in a cross-sectional study looking at 400 women at the gynecologic clinics of a university medical center in the United States. Bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis were diagnosed using Amsel’s criteria, gram stain and trichomonas culture respectively. Cervicitis and PID were clinically diagnosed. After testing for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the residual cervical swab transport medium (Gen-Probe/Hologic®) was stored at -70°C. Stored samples were later analyzed for M. genitalium by a research use only transcription-mediated amplification assay using procedures similar to those established for APTIMA Combo2 assay for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae (Gen-Probe/Hologic®). Results: The overall prevalence of infection with C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, T. vaginalis and M. genitalium was found to be 7.8%, 1.8%, 10.43% and 8.9%, respectively. Prevalence of M. genitalium was comparable to that of C. trachomatis and greater than the prevalence of N. gonorrhoeae. Univariate analysis of M. genitalium status showed that participants with lower condom use had an increased probability of M. genitalium (p=0.037). Conclusion: Prevalence of M. genitalium was comparable to C. trachomatis in our study, but more research is needed to clarify pathogenicity.

Background Every year millions of women experience vulvo-vaginal candida. While the majority of the women with vulvo-vaginal candida are infected with albicans, the distribution of non-albicans candida (NAC) species varies depending on geography, race and ethnicity, and past medical history. While there are studies that explore the relationship between these factors and the incidence of NAC many of these studies are outdated. In this study, we explore the clinical risk factors for development of NAC compared with the more common albicans candida infections. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study. 174 women with a positive candida culture were identified via a database maintained by the Cleveland Clinic Microbiology department. Exclusion criteria were women with negative cultures, those under the age of 18, or with an initial encounter prior to 2004. Results The average age of women who presented with NAC was 41.5 [31.0, 53.0] and was not statistically significant from women with no NAC, 43.0 [42.0, 45.0] (P = 0.19). Among all initial positive yeast cultures 34.5% were C. glabrata followed by C. parapsilosis at 3.4%. Women who had a positive NAC culture were more likely to be post-menopausal than those with no NAC, 73.8 NAC vs. 26.2 no NAC (P ≤ 0.001). Additionally, women cultured with NAC were more likely to be on hormone replacement therapy, 77.8 NAC vs. 22.2 no NAC (P = 0.011). However, we found that recent antibiotic use, diabetes, and probiotic use had no impact. Conclusion This study shows that post-menopausal women and women who are hormone replacement therapy are more likely to be colonized by NAC indicating that these are risk factors. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Mycoplasma genitaliumhas been recognized as a cause of male urethritis, and there is now evidence suggesting that it causes cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease in women.M. genitaliumis a slow growing organism, and, with the advent of nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), more studies are being performed, and knowledge about the pathogenicity of this organism elucidated. With NAAT detection, treatment modalities have been studied, and the next challenge is to determine the most effective antimicrobial therapy. Doxycycline, the first-line antibiotic for urethritis, is largely ineffective in the treatment ofM. genitaliumand furthermore, resistance to macrolide has also emerged. The most effective drug is Moxifloxacin although there are emerging reports of resistance to it in various parts of the world. This paper not only highlights the current research and knowledge, but also reviews the diversity of health implications on the health of men and women infected withM. genitalium. Alternate antibiotics and the impact ofM. genitaliumon infertility are areas that require more studies as we continue to research into this microorganism.