KOZEK, W. J. 1975. Trichinella spiralis: Morphological characteristics of male and female intestine-infecting larvae. Experimental Parasitology 37, 380-387. The sex of encysted and excysted intestine-infecting T. spiralis larvae can be distinguished by the following morphological characteristics: the male larva has a long (approx 50 pm) rectum, and the anterior part of the testis is curved post...

INTRODUCTION Few means exist to provide quantitative and reproducible assessment of vaginal conditions from biomechanical and functional standpoints. AIM To develop a new approach for quantitative biomechanical characterization of the vagina. METHODS Vaginal tactile imaging (VTI) allows biomechanical assessment of soft tissue and function along the entire length of the anterior, posterior, ...

CONTEXT While making condoms available in high schools has provoked much debate, evidence on the actual effects of such programs on students' attitudes and behavior is sparse. METHODS Prior to implementation of a condom availability program in a Los Angeles County high school, 1,945 students in grades 9-12 (98% of eligible students) completed a self-administered anonymous survey on their sexu...

PURPOSE Little is known about adolescent relationship abuse (ARA) and related sexual and reproductive health among females who either identify as lesbian or bisexual or engage in sexual behavior with female partners (i.e., sexual minority girls [SMGs]). METHODS Baseline data were collected from 564 sexually active girls ages 14-19 years seeking care at eight California school-based health cen...

BACKGROUND In women with vaginal hypoplasia, such as in Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome (MRKH) and in Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS), surgical vaginoplasty and non-surgical self-dilation treatments are available to lengthen the vagina and facilitate sexual intercourse, but the best treatment remains controversial. Vaginal dilation has been recommended as a first-line tr...

PURPOSE Acquisition of human papillomavirus (HPV) in women occurs predominantly through vaginal sex. However, HPV has been detected in girls reporting no previous sex. We aimed to determine incidence and risk factors for HPV acquisition in girls who report no previous sex in Tanzania, a country with high HPV prevalence and cervical cancer incidence. METHODS We followed 503 adolescent girls ag...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the clinical and microbiological characteristics of symptomatic vaginal candidiasis in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-seropositive women attending a gynaecologic outpatient clinic for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). DESIGN Vaginal, rectal and oral specimens from cases and controls were cultured for Candida spp. SUBJECTS Eighty-four consecutive HIV-seropositi...

OBJECTIVE Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is widely incorporated into cervical cancer screening strategies. Current screening requires pelvic examination for cervical sampling, which may compromise participation. The acceptance could be raised by introducing testing on vaginal swabs. We explored the interchangeability of vaginal swabs and cervical smears for HPV testing, by means of a prospe...

OBJECTIVES To assess vaginal cleansing and lubricant use among female sex workers (FSW) in Kenya participating in a 6-month, prospective study of the acceptability of the use of the diaphragm. METHODS The study is based on 140 FSW in Nairobi, who completed 140 baseline visits and 390 bi-monthly follow-up visits. Participants were instructed to wear the diaphragm for all coital acts during fol...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and efficacy of TX-004HR vaginal estradiol soft-gel capsules for moderate-to-severe dyspareunia associated with postmenopausal vulvar and vaginal atrophy. METHODS In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study, postmenopausal women with a self-identified most bothersome symptom of dyspareunia received 4, 10, or 25 μg TX-004HR or placebo fo...