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The quinolones and sexually transmitted infections

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Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics

Part of the book series: Milestones in Drug Therapy ((MDT))

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Abstract

Chlamydia trachomatis serovars D-K and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are the major sexually transmitted bacteria worldwide. Genital mycoplasmas, in particular Mycoplasma genitalium, are thought to be important causes of sexually transmitted non-gonococcal, non-chlamydial urethritis and cervicitis, more commonly termed, non-specific genital infection (NSGI). In tropical countries sexually transmitted infections also include lymphogranuloma venereum caused by Chlamydia trachomatis serovars L1, L2 and L3, chancroid caused by Haemophilus ducreyi and granuloma inguinale caused by Calymmatobacterium granulomatis. Epididymo-orchitis in men and pelvic inflammatory disease in women are caused either by sexually transmitted bacteria or by ascending infection with normal rectal and genital flora as a result of sexual activity. The quinolones play an important role in the management of all the above sexually transmitted infections. Syphilis is the only bacterial sexually transmitted disease against which the fluoroquinolones to date have no useful activity.

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  1. Department of Clinical Microbiology, University College London Hospitals, London, WCIE 6DB, England

    Sarah A. Wyllie & Geoffrey L. Ridgway

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  1. Sarah A. Wyllie
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  1. Faculty of Medicine, The University of Manitoba, 409 Tacho Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2H 2A6, Canada

    Allan R. Ronald

  2. Microbiology Laboratory, Mt. Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada

    Donald E. Low

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Wyllie, S.A., Ridgway, G.L. (2003). The quinolones and sexually transmitted infections. In: Ronald, A.R., Low, D.E. (eds) Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics. Milestones in Drug Therapy. Birkhäuser, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-8103-6_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-8103-6_7

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