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Since their widespread introduction in the early 1960s, IUD have been considered effective and safe. Early studies revealed the ability of the cavum uteri to regain bacteriologic sterility within 4 weeks of insertion. However, experience with long-term use indicates an enhanced risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, often of proven bacterial origin. Of these pelvic infections the most pernicious are those caused by Actinomyces. We present nine cases of actinomycotic female genital tract infection encountered in the past 3 years. The features of a distinct clinicopathology entity of IUD-associated actinomycotic pelvic disease are described. This disease is one of subtle protean manifestations and is not often diagnosed preoperatively. The most significantly pathogenic factors appear to be the duration of IUD use and the demonstrated relationship between IUD usage and infestation of the vagina with Actinomyces organisms.

This study was undertaken to determine the susceptibility of experimentally induced Spiroplasma mirum infection in the rat to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) in combination with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO). One-day-old Fisher 344 rats were intracerebrally inoculated with the GT-48 strain of S. mirum and were exposed to regimens employed combined antibiotic and HBO treatments. The exclusive use of TMP/SMX produced a significant reduction in mortality (P less than 0.0001) and an absence of clinical signs of infection. HBO in combination with TMP/SMX showed similar effect on mortality and no evident clinical disease. The addition of HBO did result in a significant decrease in spiroplasma brain titres but was no more effective in preventing the spiroplasma-induced fatal microcystic encephalopathy than when the antibiotics were used alone. The exclusive use of HBO produced a catastrophic mortality rate in the spiroplasma-infected rats, which is contrary to the effect of HBO on conventional bacterial infections.

An animal model of focal herpes simplex encephalitis was used to study several strains of type-1 herpes simplex virus. Rabbits were inoculated in the olfactory bulb by a standardized technique. Virus strains resulting in mortality of greater than 70% produced seizures of 3 types, and all animals that seized became moribund or died. In contrast, a virus strain resulting in a 20% mortality produced no seizures. Administration of 60 mg phenobarbital intramuscularly daily reduced mortality significantly in animals given the epileptogenic viruses. Cultures from temporal and frontal lobes showed viral growth more frequently than did cultures of other brain areas. Microscopic examination of routine and immunoperoxidase-stained brain sections confirmed the focal nature of the infection. Clinical syndromes such as seizures arising from viral brain disease may influence mortality in animal model systems.