Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
i) What causes PID and what happens to the body when someone gets it?
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) occurs when an infection of the cervix, or to a lesser extent the vagina progresses into the upper genital tract, PRODIGY (2005). Warell (2003) defines an infection as an invasion of the body by harmful organisms (or pathogens) such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa or viruses. In the case of PID the two most common causes of the initial infection are the bacterium Chlamydia Trachomatis or Neisseria Gonnorhoeae. These two bacteria are most commonly referred to as the sexually transmitted infections (STIs) chlamydia and gonnorhea and are commonly passed through unprotected vaginal intercourse. Both infections present similarly, as inflammations of the cervix and urethra with the associated symptoms of pain on urination and vaginal discharge. Some infected women however experience no symptoms (Caroline, 2008). Prodigy (2005) discusses how cervical mucus provides a relative barrier to the spread of the pathogens and the associated infections, but virulent microbes can traverse cervical mucus, which in any case, is lost during menses. Other factors that may influence the spread of bacteria up the genital tract are, pregnancy terminations and the complications arising from dilatation and currettage. Wyatt (2003), discusses, in reference to PID, how once an infection spreads beyond the cervix it can present in various regions of the genital tract: uterus (endometritis), fallopian tubes (salpingitis), ovaries (oophoritis), peritoneum (peritonitis). The assocaited infections/inflammations can cause various symptoms: Pelvic or lower abdominal pain. Dyspareunia (pain during or after intercourse) Turbo-ovarian abscesses Abnormal vaginal discharge Pelvic peritonitis Perihepatitis (inflammation of the peritoneum attached to the liver) The severity ranges from chronic low grade infection (with relatively mild symptoms) to acute infection (with severe symptoms) which may result in
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) occurs when an infection of the cervix, or to a lesser extent the vagina progresses into the upper genital tract, PRODIGY (2005). Warell (2003) defines an infection as an invasion of the body by harmful organisms (or pathogens) such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa or viruses. In the case of PID the two most common causes of the initial infection are the bacterium Chlamydia Trachomatis or Neisseria Gonnorhoeae. These two bacteria are most commonly referred to as the sexually transmitted infections (STIs) chlamydia and gonnorhea and are commonly passed through unprotected vaginal intercourse. Both infections present similarly, as inflammations of the cervix and urethra with the associated symptoms of pain on urination and vaginal discharge. Some infected women however experience no symptoms (Caroline, 2008). Prodigy (2005) discusses how cervical mucus provides a relative barrier to the spread of the pathogens and the associated infections, but virulent microbes can traverse cervical mucus, which in any case, is lost during menses. Other factors that may influence the spread of bacteria up the genital tract are, pregnancy terminations and the complications arising from dilatation and currettage. Wyatt (2003), discusses, in reference to PID, how once an infection spreads beyond the cervix it can present in various regions of the genital tract: uterus (endometritis), fallopian tubes (salpingitis), ovaries (oophoritis), peritoneum (peritonitis). The assocaited infections/inflammations can cause various symptoms: Pelvic or lower abdominal pain. Dyspareunia (pain during or after intercourse) Turbo-ovarian abscesses Abnormal vaginal discharge Pelvic peritonitis Perihepatitis (inflammation of the peritoneum attached to the liver) The severity ranges from chronic low grade infection (with relatively mild symptoms) to acute infection (with severe symptoms) which may result in