OBJECTIVE To determine the concordance between vaginal fluid Gram stains and pH obtained at speculum exam with similar stains and pH prepared from self-obtained vaginal swabs. METHODS Using vaginal fluid Gram stain, 129 pregnant women were screened for bacterial vaginosis at 24 to 29 weeks' gestation. Two smears were collected from each woman during the same prenatal visit: the first was prep...

Background: We sought to compare the effectiveness and safety of sublingual versus vaginal misoprostol for the termination of pregnancy with a live full-term fetus.Methods: This randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed on 200 primiparous women with normal, singleton, full-term pregnancies candidated for the induction of labor. Sublingual and vaginal tablets cont...

Rheologically structured vehicle (RSV) gels were developed as delivery systems for vaginal mucosal vaccination with an HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (CN54gp140). RSVs comprised a mucoadhesive matrix-forming and vaginal fluid absorbing polymer. The mucoadhesive and rheological properties of the RSVs were evaluated in vitro, and the distribution, antigenicity and release of CN54gp140 were analysed ...

Drug delivery of topical microbicidal molecules against HIV offers promise as a modality to prevent sexual transmission of the virus. Success of any microbicide product depends, in an interactive way, upon its drug (the microbicide active pharmaceutical ingredient, API) and its delivery system (e.g. a gel, film or intravaginal ring). There is a widespread agreement that more effective drug deli...

UNLABELLED The presence of semen in vaginal fluid, as identified by an acid phosphatase spot test, does not influence vaginal proinflammatory cytokine concentrations. OBJECTIVE Determine whether semen, as detected by acid phosphatase, influences vaginal cytokines or secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor concentrations. METHODS 138 pregnant women had vaginal fluid collected for Gram stain, ...

There is a widespread agreement that more effective drug delivery vehicles with more alternatives, as well as better active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), must be developed to improve the efficacy of microbicide products. For instance, in tropical regions, films are more appropriate than gels due to better stability of drugs at extremes of moisture and temperature. Here, we apply fundamenta...

BACKGROUND Clinical development of vaginally applied products aimed at reducing the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, has highlighted the need for a better characterisation of the vaginal environment. We set out to characterise the vaginal environment in women in different settings in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS A longitudinal study was conducted in Kenya, Rwanda ...

Vaginal innate immunity in response to microbial perturbation is still poorly understood and could be crucial for protection from adverse outcomes. We investigated the relationship between interleukin (IL)-8, IL-1beta and neutrophils in vaginal fluid obtained from 60 healthy women and 51 women who were bacterial vaginosis (BV) positive. Concentrations of IL-8 and IL-1beta were highly correlated...

Determination of the type and origin of biological samples found at crime scenes can provide important clues for crime scene reconstructions by supporting a link between sample donors and actual criminal acts. The presence of certain body fluids can be used as excellent indicators of the sequence of events which occurred. For example, blood stains can indicate some form of physical struggle, as...

Leukocytes, particularly neutrophils, infiltrate into female genital organs after ovulation in both humans and mice. In mice, a female sexual cycle consists of 5 phases: proestrus, estrus, metestrus-1, metestrus-2, and diestrus. Ovulation occurs at estrus; at metestrus-2, a large number of neutrophils infiltrate into the vaginal epithelium accompanied by an increased neutrophil number in vagina...