Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), bacterial infection of the upper female genital tract, including the uterus , fallopian tubes , and ovaries . PID can be caused by several different aerobic (oxygen-requiring) and anaerobic (non-oxygen-requiring) bacteria. The two most important such bacteria are Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterium that causes gonorrhea, and Chlamydia trachomatis, the bacterium that causes chlamydia. These bacteria are usually transmitted through sexual intercourse with an infected partner. The usual symptoms of acute PID are fever, chills, lower abdominal and pelvic pain, and vaginal discharge or bleeding. These symptoms often begin a few days after the start of a menstrual period, particularly when Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the cause of infection. Infections due to Chlamydia trachomatis usually progress more slowly than those caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae. On physical examination by a doctor, the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes of the infected person are usu