Pilot study to evaluate the appropriate management of patients with coexistent bacterial vaginosis and cervicitis.

A pilot study was performed to obtain preliminary data regarding the need for targeted therapy of bacterial vaginosis (BV) when it accompanies clinically defined cervicitis. Specifically, women attending a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic with clinically defined BV and cervicitis were treated in the first phase of the study with doxycycline alone. In phase II, the patients received doxycycline and concomitant intravaginal metronidazole gel. All patients were reexamined 3-4 weeks after therapy. Persistence of BV occurred in 18/19 (95%) of women in phase I vs. 1/7 (14%) of women in phase II (P < 0.001). We concluded that, in women with coexistent clinically defined cervicitis and BV, the treatment of cervicitis does not result in a normalization of the vaginal flora.