The next 10 years in the treatment of pelvic infections.

The future developments in the treatment of pelvic infections in women are based on recent changes. There is an expanded knowledge of the complex multibacterial nature of pelvic infections, the clinical view of salpingitis has radically changed, and there have been great modifications in antibiotic treatment strategies with particular emphasis on anaerobes and Chlamydia. In the next 10 years, the following new developments may be expected. In the diagnosis of pelvic infection, there will be new efforts to have better clinical tests and the use of nonspecific and specific laboratory tests. The rapid identification of Neisseria gonorrhea, group B beta-hemolytic Streptococcus, Chlamydia, and Bacteroides fragilis would be an important laboratory aid. The treatment of pelvic infection will not be significantly altered by the introduction of new antibiotics. There will be an emphasis on new combinations of currently available antibiotics and studies that focus on the long-term follow-up of treated patients. In the understanding of the pathophysiology of pelvic infections, the importance of the spermatozoa as a carrier of bacteria and the potent immunosuppression due to seminal fluid will be investigated in detail, along with a greater emphasis on treatment of the male.