Chlamydia trachomatis Seroprevalence and Ultrasound-Diagnosed Uterine Fibroids in a Large Population of Young African-American Women.

Reproductive tract infections have long been hypothesized to increase the risk of uterine fibroids. Few studies have been conducted, even for the common infection genital Chlamydia trachomatis (gCT), and only with self-reported gCT data. Our investigation used micro-immunofluorescence serology for gCT to characterize past exposure. We used cross-sectional enrollment data from a prospective fibroid study carried out in the Detroit, Michigan, area; ultrasound examinations systematically screened for fibroids. Participants were African-American women aged 23-34 years (recruited in 2010-2012). Age- and multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios. A total of 1,587 women (94% of participants) had unequivocal gCT serology results; 22% had fibroids. Those who were seropositive for gCT were less likely to have fibroids (age-adjusted odds ratio = 0.68, 95% confidence interval: 0.54, 0.87; multivariable-adjusted odds ratio = 0.80, 95% confidence interval: 0.62, 1.03). Inverse associations were similar across categories of fibroid size, number, and total volume. Participant groups likely to have had multiple or severe infections (multiple serovar groups, more sex partners, clinically diagnosed chlamydia) all showed statistically significantly reduced odds of fibroids. A protective association of gCT with fibroids was unexpected but plausible. gCT infection might increase immune surveillance and eliminate early lesions. Further investigation on the relationship between fibroid development and reproductive tract infections is needed.

[EFFECT OF LONGIDAZE ON MICROBIAL LANDSCAPE OF CERVICAL CANAL AND UTERINE CAVITY DURING THERAPY OF WOMEN WITH CHRONIC NONSPECIFIC ENDOMETRITIS AND UTERUS MYOMA].

AIM: Evaluation of microbiological effectiveness of longidaze preparation use during therapy of active non-specific endometritis in women with uterus myoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 2 groups of women were formed by a method of random selection. The first was composed of patients with active chronic endometritis, that had received standard etiotropic antibacterial therapy. The second included patients, that had received longidaze in addition to the standard therapy. Therapy effectiveness evaluation was carried out based on the analysis of microbial landscape of cervical canal and uterine cavity 2 months after the therapy during phase I of the menstrual cycle. RESULTS: Non-plasma-coagulating staphylococci, enterococci and anaerobes were established to be present predominately in the examined women of both the first and the second group. CONCLUSION: The application of longidaze in combination with antibacterial therapy results in the most significant improvement of microbial landscape of cervical canal and uterine cavity.

Postpartum fever in the presence of a fibroid: Sphingomonas paucimobilis sepsis associated with pyomyoma.

BACKGROUND: Pyomyoma is a life-threatening complication of uterine leiomyoma. It may occur in post- menopausal women, during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Fever may be the only manifestation during the early stages of the disease. We detail the first reported case of postpartum pyomyoma-related sepsis due to Sphingomonas paucimobilis, a Gram-negative bacillus that is gaining recognition as an important human pathogen. CASE PRESENTATION: A woman presented with an asymptomatic uterine fibroid and a two-week history of fever during the postpartum period. Suppurative uterine leiomyoma was diagnosed, and blood cultures grew Sphingomonas paucimobilis. The myoma was surgically removed from the uterus without hysterectomy. Intravenous antimicrobial therapy was given for fifteen days, and the patient was discharged from hospital in good condition. CONCLUSION: Pyomyoma should be considered in broad differential diagnosis of postpartum fever. This case highlights a unique disease manifestation of S. paucimobilis, an emerging opportunistic pathogen with increasing significance in the nosocomial setting.

Fibroid infected with Escherichia coli requiring surgical removal following uterine artery embolization.

BACKGROUND: Uterine fibroid necrosis and infection is a rare but potentially serious event following uterine artery embolization (UAE). We describe a case of surgical removal of an infected necrotic uterine fibroid. CASE: A 31-year-old Jehovah's Witness with severe anemia presented with sepsis following UAE. The uterus was preserved by performing transvaginal surgical removal. Final pathology demonstrated Escherichia Coli infection of the necrotic fibroid. The patient improved postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Surgical removal of an infected necrotic fibroid may be a preferred option for women wishing to avoid hysterectomy following UAE. Appropriate case selection and optimization of hemoglobin concentration before UAE is important to minimize complications.

Contexte : La nécrose et l'infection d'un fibromyome utérin constituent un événement rare, mais potentiellement grave, à la suite de l'embolisation de l'artère utérine (EAU). Nous décrivons un cas de retrait chirurgical d'un fibromyome utérin nécrosé et infecté. Cas : Une témoin de Jéhovah de 31 ans connaissant une anémie grave a présenté une sepsie à la suite d'une EAU. L'utérus a été préservé au moyen de l'exécution d'un retrait chirurgical transvaginal. L'examen pathologique final a démontré la présence d'une infection à Escherichia Coli dans le fibromyome nécrosé. L'état de la patiente s'est amélioré à la suite de l'opération. Conclusion : Le retrait chirurgical d'un fibromyome utérin nécrosé et infecté pourrait constituer l'option à privilégier pour les femmes qui souhaitent éviter l'hystérectomie à la suite d'une EAU. Avant la tenue d'une EAU, il s'avère important de bien sélectionner les patientes qui pourraient en tirer avantage et d'optimiser la concentration en hémoglobine, et ce, afin de minimiser les complications.

Pyomyoma after dilatation and curettage for missed abortion.

Infection of a leiomyoma is a very rare clinical entity called pyomyoma. Pathology may be encountered during the reproductive period, pregnancy, and even postmenopausal period. In this report, we present a case of pyomyoma which developed after dilatation and curettage managed by broad spectrum antibiotics and myomectomy to preserve the fertility in a 31-year-old patient.

Conservative laparoscopic approach to a perforated pyomyoma after uterine artery embolization.

We describe a conservative laparoscopic approach to treatment of a perforated pyomyoma after uterine artery embolization. A 36-year-old woman came to our emergency department 8 weeks after undergoing uterine artery embolization. She reported painful abdominal cramps. Physical examination revealed fever, tachycardia, hypotension, abdominal pain with rebound tenderness and pain during bimanual examination. Ultrasonography showed a fundal/subserosal leiomyoma and a moderate amount of fluid in the abdominal cavity. Because the patient desired preservation of the uterus, a laparoscopic approach was used for drainage and lavage of a perforated pyomyoma. The patient had an uneventful recovery and remained well at follow-up visits. Second-look diagnostic laparoscopy enabled treatment of the adhesions formed and revealed patent fallopian tubes. Surgery has been the primary approach to pyomyoma. However, hysterectomy leads to irreversible sterility and myomectomy can be difficult to perform. Therefore, there is need for a less invasive intervention in women who seek conservative treatment. Recently, computed tomography-guided drainage was successfully performed in two patients with pyomyoma. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a successful conservative laparoscopic approach to pyomyoma.

[Life-threatening intrauterine infection with Clostridium perfringens].

In this case report, a 40-year-old woman with a history of a uterine leiomyoma presented with abdominal pain and fever. Initially, her symptoms were associated with a bleeding from an ovarian cyst seen on a CT scan of the abdomen showing free intraperitoneal fluid surrounding the internal genitals. Meanwhile, her blood cultures came out positive for Clostridium perfringens, and her condition deteriorated despite intravenous antibiotics. A new CT scan revealed intrauterine gas development. A laparotomy was performed with removal of the internal genitals, and the patient improved on continuous antibiotics.

Bacterial flora detected of the uterine endometrial cavity of diabetic patients with myoma uteri.

Patients with diabetes frequently suffer from various postoperative complications, especially infection. Diabetic patients also have a high incidence of uterine endometrial cancer. The nature of the intrauterine bacterial flora may be related to both infection and carcinogenesis. Therefore, identification of the intrauterine bacterial flora in diabetic patients may be useful. Bacteria were detected in the uterine endometrial cavity of 100% of ten diabetic patients with myoma uteri. However, among 20 non-diabetic control patients with myoma uteri, only three 15% harbored bacteria. Members of the Enterobacteriaceae (Escherichia coli, Proteus spp., Enterobacter cloacae, and Klebsiella pneumoniae) were the predominant bacteria. We speculate that bacterial products contribute to carcinogenesis, as has been proposed for colon carcinoma. Antimicrobial agents active against Enterobacteriaceae should be used to prevent postoperative infections in gynecologic procedures in diabetic patients.

Evaluation of clinico-pathological features and Helicobacter pylori infection in gastric inflammatory fibroid polyps.

Inflammatory fibroid polyps are rare mesenchymal lesions. The frequency of Helicobacter pylori infection in the gastric mucosa overlying inflammatory fibroid polyps and its relation with the histologic features of the polyps are undetermined. The clinico-pathological features of inflammatory fibroid polyps, the frequency of Helicobacter pylori infection in the overlying gastric mucosa, and its putative impact on the phenotype of the polyps were evaluated. Gastric inflammatory fibroid polyps diagnosed in our Hospital from 1998 to 2012 were reviewed and the histological. The histological sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and modified Giemsa for the evaluation of Helicobacter pylori infection. Inconclusive cases were further analyzed by immunohistochemistry with anti-Helicobacter pylori antibody. Diagnosis was confirmed in 54 polyps, 85 % developed in females, mean age 63 ± 11 years. Most polyps were sessile (74 %), with a mean size of 15 ± 12 mm, 96 % were located in the antrum and 85 % were removed by snare polypectomy. Helicobacter pylori infection was identified in 48 % of the polyps. Most inflammatory fibroid polyps developed in the submucosa, and mucosal extension was observed in 96 % of the cases. Chronic gastritis was observed in all cases (63 % with activity, 31 % with intestinal metaplasia, and 61 % with foveolar hyperplasia). Erosion and ulceration of the overlying gastric mucosa was observed in 48 % and 11 % of the polyps, respectively. Onion skin features were present in 52 % of the polyps and were more frequently observed in cases without evidence of Helicobacter pylori infection. Background changes in gastric mucosa were not distinctive according to Helicobacter pylori infection. Chronic atrophic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia was associated with the presence of perivascular onion skin lesions. To our knowledge, this is the second largest series of gastric inflammatory fibroid polyps. Helicobacter pylori infection was identified in about half of the cases and was associated with a lower frequency of onion skin features in the polyps.

Pyomyoma after uterine artery embolization.

BACKGROUND: Pyomyoma (suppurative leiomyoma of the uterus) is a rare condition resulting from infarction and infection of a leiomyoma. It can lead to sepsis and death unless treated with antibiotics and aggressive surgical intervention. CASE: A 47-year-old multigravid woman with symptomatic uterine leiomyomas presented with fever, pelvic pain, and leukocytosis after uncomplicated uterine artery embolization. Pyomyoma was suspected after computed tomography scan demonstrated an enlarged, heterogeneous uterus containing copious myometrial air. She underwent supracervical hysterectomy, lysis of adhesions, and right salpingo-oophorectomy. CONCLUSION: Surgical management of pyomyoma may be necessary early in the management of pyomyoma after uterine artery embolization.

Urticaria associated with necrotic uterine leiomyomas infected with salmonella.

BACKGROUND: We describe a unique case of urticaria associated with a Salmonella infection of uterine leiomyomas. CASE: A 55-year-old woman with a known history of uterine leiomyomas and a chief complaint of recurrent small and coalescing urticarial lesions confined to the abdomen presented with an 18-year history of recurrent fever and flu-like symptoms associated with the urticaria. After confirming the presence of a leiomyoma containing necrotic tissue on the computed tomography scan, a hysterectomy was performed. A large, 11-cm intramural leiomyoma was removed, and a culture of the purulent content grew a previously untyped Salmonella. The urticaria resolved on removal of the necrotic tissue. Subsequent follow-up for more than 2 years shows no relapse of symptoms. CONCLUSION: Our patient harbored Salmonella bacteria in a necrotic uterine leiomyoma, where it was difficult to detect until the time of surgery. In patients presenting with localized urticaria of the abdomen, an infection in the pelvic and abdominal tissue should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Pyomyoma in a premenopausal woman with fever of unknown origin.

BACKGROUND: Pyomyoma (suppurative leiomyoma) is a rare disease that is a serious complication. Most cases have occurred in pregnant or postmenopausal women. CASE: A perimenopausal woman presented with fever and shoulder pain. She had no predisposing factors or history of leiomyoma. Ultrasonographic as well as abdominal and pelvic computed tomography scans showed an enlarged uterus with two large masses. Internal heterogeneous echogenicity was noted in the lower segment and body of the uterus. The elevated temperature continued despite a 3-day antibiotic course of clindamycin, ceftriaxone, and gentamicin. With a clinical impression of infected leiomyoma, she underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Pathological findings showed a leiomyoma with abscess formation. The patient responded well to surgery. CONCLUSION: Pyomyoma may be difficult to diagnose, especially in women with a nonspecific clinical presentation. Delayed diagnosis may result in serious complications, and surgery and broad spectrum antibiotics are indicated.

Sonographic appearance of a postpartum pyomyoma with gas production.

Pyomyoma or suppurative leiomyoma is a potentially fatal complication of uterine leiomyomas. It is a rare condition with only a small number of reported cases since the era of antibiotics, and the descriptions of its sonographic appearance has been limited. We present a case of a pyomyoma associated with gas production, including a brief review of the reported sonographic features.

[Studies on the etiology of infectious disease of female internal genitalia - bacterial flora in the female genitalia and surrounding tissues].

The present studies were carried out to clarify the indigenous bacterial flora in the female internal genitalia and surrounding tissues and the pathogenesis of parametritis. Twenty nine patients with uterine tumors which consisted of sixteen carcinomas and thirteen benign tumors underwent abdominal total hysterectomies. Each tissue aseptically collected from the uterus and adnexae was cultured for 48 hours under aerobic or anaerobic conditions and the bacterial species were isolated and identified. In benign uterine tumors, anaerobic bacteria were isolated in six patients and aerobic or anaerobic bacteria were identified In the endometrium, fallopian tube and parametrium of five of the patients. In a group of carcinoma in situ (stage 0), many bacteria were isolated in two patients after conization. In the uterine carcinomas, as the stage advanced, the rate of bacterial isolation from parametrium and lymph node became higher. The rate of anaerobic bacterial isolation, except for one from the vagina, was nine out of sixteen patients with carcinomas but three out of thirteen patients with benign tumors. The results revealed that the bacterial flora in the vagina spread to the internal genital organ and surrounding tissues via the ascending or cervical lymphatic pathway and remained there as nonpathologically indigenous bacterial flora. These results suggest that these indigenous bacterial flora in the internal genitalia and the surrounding tissue may cause an opportunistic infection.

Prophylaxis of infection following colorectal surgery.

Due to the high incidence of infective complications following colorectal surgery, prophylactic application of systemic antibiotics is required. In a prospective, randomised study of 34 patients who underwent elective colorectal surgery, it was found that a single 1 g dose of cefotaxime was as effective as three doses in controlling post-operative infections. Both groups received 500 mg metronidazole i.v. every 12 h for 72 h, with the first dose administered immediately prior to surgery. The results indicate that prophylactic cefotaxime and metronidazole are effective in reducing the incidence of septic complications following colorectal surgery; nevertheless, a study with a larger number of patients is needed to reach a definitive conclusion.

Streptococcus agalactiae endocarditis and giant pyomyoma simulating ovarian cancer.

Group B streptococcus (Streptococcus agalactiae) is a common etiology of bacteremia among adults. Pyomyoma is a rare infectious complication of uterine leiomyomas. We report the case of a diabetic postmenopausal woman with a giant pyomyoma simulating an ovarian cancer. It was associated with S. agalactiae endocarditis and deep venous thrombosis of the right external iliac and femoral veins. Treated initially with intravenous penicillin, amikacin, and anticoagulation, the patient later had abdominal hysterectomy with an uneventful recovery. We also review the cases of pyomyoma reported since 1945. Of 14 cases described (including ours), mortality was 21%. Endocarditis was never reported in association with pyomyoma. The presence of bacteremia and a leiomyoma should raise suspicion for this disease.