Infections are common in everyday life.  Infections of the female genital tract affect up to half of all women during their lifetime.  Most of these infections are in the form of vaginitis but many are more serious and can have consequences on fertility (e.g. secondary to pelvic inflammatory disease) or pregnancy (e.g. secondary to herpes).  Contemporary information suggests that many women do not benefit from appropriate diagnostic testing even when seeing their health care provider for lower general tract complaints.  Moreover, most sexually transmitted infections are asymptomatic.

At MUSC Women’s Health clinicians understand the link between lower genital tract infections and the potential for adverse sequelae.  We use appropriate diagnostic testing (vaginal pH, microscopy of the vaginal secretions, and the whiff test) to confirm a diagnosis.  These office-based tests are backed up when appropriate by culture and high technology DNA testing.  In addition, serologic (blood) testing is available to determine exposure to herpes, hepatitis B, syphilis and HIV.

Once the diagnosis is made modern therapies are available.  In addition, often times cutting edge treatments are tested at the office allowing patients to participate in research studies for the development of novel antimicrobials for the therapy of their lower genital tract infections.

All of this care is delivered a most confidential manner.

A partial list of the infections we diagnose and treat include:

• Bacterial vaginosis - acute and recurrent                        
• Genital herpes
• Vulvovaginal candidiasis - acute and recurrent                 
• Genital warts
• Trichomonas vaginitis - acute and recurrent                    
• HPV Infection
• Inflammatory vaginitis                                                  
• Syphilis
• Mucopurulent endocervicitis (cervicitis)                            
• Chlamydia
• Pelvic inflammatory disease                                          
• Gonorrhea

We are fortunate to have David Soper, MD, one of the most well recognized experts in obstetrical and gynecological infectious diseases in the United States as well as internationally, here at MUSC Women’s Health.  Dr. Soper’s research involves infections in women.  He is one of a handful of physicians in this country with postgraduate training in both obstetrics and gynecology and infectious diseases.  He is a consultant to the Centers for Disease Control for updating the Sexually Transmitted Disease Treatment Guidelines.  Dr. Soper has authored over 100 scientific publications related to infectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology.  His textbook is well respected in this country and now is available in Spanish.

We are also pleased to welcome our first Reproductive Infectious Disease Fellow, Dr. Gweneth Lazenby. Dr. Lazenby recently completed her residency at the University of Hawaii.  Her special interests include: the resurgence of syphilis, antenatal care for HIV positive women, sexual dysfunction, and primary prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, including HPV.  Dr. Lazenby will have a clinic for STI screening for female patients and their partners starting February 23, 2009.  This clinic will have screening for common sexually transmitted diseases: gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomonas, genital warts, herpes, syphilis, hepatitis, and HIV.