Pelvic inflammatory disease

PID or salpingitis constitutes one of the most serious soft tissue infections that women, especially adolescents, encounter. In all hospitalized cases of PID, laparoscopy should be considered to verify the diagnosis, to determine the stage of disease, and to obtain adequate specimens for the isolation and identification of pathogens. The microbiologist must have a close working relationship with the clinician to ensure that appropriate media are available for the recovery of all potential pathogens. The accurate identification of isolates and appropriate antimicrobial susceptibility tests can help the physician to make specific choices concerning antimicrobial therapy that will limit destruction of the patient's tubal epithelium. By stopping tubal destruction in the early phase of the disease, the serious sequelae of PID may be avoided.