Australia; NSW; VIC
Treating men could help the one in three women affected by an imbalance of the bacteria normally present in the vagina. The condition, known as bacterial vaginosis, often reoccurs, but Australian researchers say treating male partners may increase the likelihood of curing the condition. In 150 couples, they gave antibiotics to either just the women, or both the women and the men. They found that the problem recurred in 24 of 69 women whose partners were also treated, compared to 43 of 68 women when they alone were treated. This meant that by treating the patterns as well, there were 2.6 fewer recurrences per person per year. An editorial accompanying the research says this signifies the need for a major change to how the condition is treated, including the need to engage their male partners in sharing responsibility for transmission and treatment.
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