Gonorrheal Vaginitis of Children

Abstract

Few anatomic, physiologic, bacteriologic or pathologic studies of the normal or the gonorrhea-infected vagina and cervix in the infant and in the child have been reported.1 Lewis,2 the first to give impetus to such studies, reported the use of estrogen in the treatment of gonorrheal vaginitis. Since then his studies as well as those of others have emphasized the histologic variations in the lower part of the genital tract in children as well as the effect of estrogenic therapy on the hydrogen ion concentration and the cellular content of the vaginal secretion. Reichert 3 and his co-workers reported on the bacteriologic conditions of the lower part of the genital tract in infected children. Pathologic studies were directed mainly toward determining the presence or absence of cervicitis or endocervicitis in cases of gonorrheal infection in children. Ronchese 4 in Italy reported observations on 3 cases in which autopsy was done; in these cases the infection was confined to the vagina and a small portion of the cervical canal. Frequent reference is made to the report of Hess,5 although this article does not give detailed information.

Use of the Culture Method in the Clinical Management of Gonorrhea

“…In 45.7 per cent the slide was negative but the culture was positive. In an additional 4 per cent culture was doubtful positive and slide negative. Only in 17.6 per cent was the single culture negative, although one or more of the several slides taken were positive.…”