Emerging sexual health issues among women who have sex with women

Current Infectious Disease Reports

Volumn 14, Issue 2, 2012, Pages 204-211

  Marrazzo, Jeanne M ^a,c   Gorgos, Linda M ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON   (United States)

^b NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH   (United States)

^c UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON   (United States)

Author keywords

Bacterial vaginosis; Bisexuality; Cervical neoplasia; Homosexuality; Human papillomavirus; Lesbian; Sexually transmitted diseases; Sexually transmitted infections; Syphilis; Trichomoniasis; Vaginal health; Vaginitis; Women who have sex with women

Indexed keywords

CLINDAMYCIN; METRONIDAZOLE; TINIDAZOLE;

BACTERIAL TRANSMISSION; BEHAVIOR THERAPY; CANCER SCREENING; CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS; CONDYLOMA ACUMINATUM; DIAGNOSTIC TEST; FEMALE; GENDER IDENTITY; GENITAL HERPES; HEALTH CARE DELIVERY; HIGH RISK BEHAVIOR; HUMAN; INFECTION RISK; LESBIAN; PAPANICOLAOU TEST; PATHOGENESIS; PRACTICE GUIDELINE; REVIEW; RISK ASSESSMENT; SCREENING TEST; SEXUAL BEHAVIOR; SEXUAL HEALTH; SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE; VAGINITIS; VIRUS TRANSMISSION; WART VIRUS;

EID: 84862884632     PISSN: 15233847     EISSN: 15343146     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1007/s11908-012-0244-x     Document Type: Review

References (68)

1. Mosher WD, Chandra JA, Jones J. Sexual behavior and selected health measures: men and women 15-44 years of age, United States. Hyattsville: National Center for Health Statistics 2005 Contract No.: 362; 2002.
2. Xu F, Sternberg MR, Markowitz LE. Women who have sex with women in the United States: prevalence, sexual behavior and prevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 infection-results from national health and nutrition examination survey 2001-2006. Sex Transm Dis. 2010;37(7):407-13. This paper reports on one of the few nationally representative samples assessed for any sexually transmitted infection using a reliable biomarker among women who have sex with women.
3. Diamant AL, Schuster MA, McGuigan K, et al. Lesbians' sexual history with men: implications for taking a sexual history. Arch Intern Med. 1999;159(22):2730-6.
4. Koh AS, Gomez CA, Shade S, et al. Sexual risk factors among selfidentified lesbians, bisexual women, and heterosexual women accessing primary care settings. Sex Transm Dis. 2005;32(9):563-9. (Pubitemid 41318843)
5. Tao G. Sexual orientation and related viral sexually transmitted disease rates among US women aged 15 to 44 years. Am J Public Health. 2008;98(6):1007-9. (Pubitemid 351793376)
6. Goodenow C, Szalacha LA, Robin LE, et al. Dimensions of sexual orientation and HIV-related risk among adolescent females: evidence from a statewide survey. Am J Public Health. 2008;98 (6):1051-8. (Pubitemid 351793384)
7. Bevier PJ, Chiasson MA, Heffernan RT, et al. Women at a sexually transmitted disease clinic who reported same-sex contact: their HIV seroprevalence and risk behaviors. Am J Public Health. 1995;85(10):1366-71.
8. Scheer S, Peterson I, Page-Shafer K, et al. Sexual and drug use behavior among women who have sex with both women and men: results of a population-based survey. Am J Public Health. 2002;92 (7):1110-2. (Pubitemid 34700975)
9. Mercer CH, Bailey JV, Johnson AM, et al. Women who report having sex with women: British national probability data on prevalence, sexual behaviors, and health outcomes. Am J Public Health. 2007;97:1126-33. (Pubitemid 351181939)
10. Eisenberg M. Differences in sexual risk behaviors between college students with same-sex and opposite-sex experience: results from a national survey. Arch Sex Behav. 2001;30(6):575-89. (Pubitemid 39592005)
11. Lindley L, Burcin M. STD diagnoses among sexually active female college students: does sexual orientation or gender of sex partner(s) make a difference? Chicago: National STD Prevention Conference; 2008.
12. Austin SB, Roberts AL, Corliss HL, et al. Sexual violence victimization history and sexual risk indicators in a community-based urban cohort of "mostly heterosexual" and heterosexual young women. Am J Public Health. 2008;98(6):1015-20. (Pubitemid 351793379)
13. Marrazzo JM, Koutsky LA, Kiviat NB, et al. Papanicolaou test screening and prevalence of genital human papillomavirus among women who have sex with women. Am J Public Health. 2001;91 (6):947-52. (Pubitemid 32499260)
14. Marrazzo JM, Koutsky LA, Stine KL, et al. Genital human papillomavirus infection in women who have sex with women. J Infect Dis. 1998;178(6):1604-9. (Pubitemid 28558130)
15. Bailey JV, Kavanagh J, Owen C, et al. Lesbians and cervical screening. Br J Gen Pract. 2000;50(455):481-2. (Pubitemid 30649461)
16. Ferris DG, Batish S, Wright TC, et al. A neglected lesbian health concern: cervical neoplasia. J Fam Pract. 1996;43(6):581-4. (Pubitemid 26427439)
17. O'Hanlan K, Crum C. Human papillomavirus-associated cervical intraepithelial neoplasia following lesbian sex. Obstet Gynecol. 1996;88(4):702-3. (Pubitemid 26331184)
18. Kerker B, Mostashari F, Thorpe L. Health care access and utilization among women who have sex with women: sexual behavior and identity. J Urban Health. 2006;83(5):970-9. (Pubitemid 44321676)
19. Marrazzo JM, Stine K, Wald A. Prevalence and risk factors for infection with herpes simplex virus type-1 and -2 among lesbians. Sex Transm Dis. 2003;30(12):890-5. (Pubitemid 37494350)
20. Cherpes TL, Meyn LA, Hillier SL. Cunnilingus and vaginal intercourse are risk factors for herpes simplex virus type 1 acquisition in women. Sex Transm Dis. 2005;32(2):84-9.
21. Cherpes TL, Meyn LA, Krohn MA, et al. Association between acquisition of herpes simplex virus type 2 in women and bacterial vaginosis. Clin Infect Dis. 2003;37(3):319-25. (Pubitemid 36976487)
22. Allsworth JE, Lewis VA, Peipert JF. Viral sexually transmitted infections and bacterial vaginosis: 2001-2004 national health and nutrition examination survey data. Sex Transm Dis. 2008;35 (9):791-6.
23. Skinner CJ, Stokes J, Kirlew Y, et al. A case-controlled study of the sexual health needs of lesbians. Genitourin Med. 1996;72 (4):277-80. (Pubitemid 26290729)
24. Bailey JV, Farquhar C, Owen C, et al. Sexually transmitted infections in women who have sex with women. Sex Transm Infect. 2004;80(3):244-6. (Pubitemid 38746205)
25. Edwards A, Thin RN. Sexually transmitted diseases in lesbians. Int J STD AIDS. 1990;1(3):178-81. (Pubitemid 20215418)
26. Fethers K, Marks C, Mindel A, et al. Sexually transmitted infections and risk behaviours in women who have sex with women. Sex Transm Infect. 2000;76(5):345-9.
27. Singh D, Fine DN, Marrazzo JM. Chlamydia trachomatis infection among women reporting sexual activity with women screened in Family Planning Clinics in the Pacific Northwest, 1997 to 2005. Am J Public Health. 2011;101(7):1284-90. This is the first large analysis of chlamydia positivity in a well defined dataset used for chlamydia surveillance that allowed for an assessment of this infection among women who reported sex with other women, who had a surprsingly high burden of this disease.
28. Kellock D, O'Mahony CP. Sexually acquired metronidazoleresistant trichomoniasis in a lesbian couple. Genitourin Med. 1996;72(1):60-1. (Pubitemid 26059110)
29. Campos-Outcalt D, Hurwitz S. Female-to-female transmission of syphilis: a case report. Sex Transm Dis. 2002;29(2):119-20. (Pubitemid 34163710)
30. Walters MH, Rector WG. Sexual transmission of hepatitis a in lesbians. JAMA. 1986;256(5):594.
31. Kwakwa HA, Ghobrial MW. Female-to-female transmission of human immunodeficiency virus. Clin Infect Dis. 2003;36(3):e40-1.
32. Monzon OT, Capellan JM. Female-to-female transmission of HIV. Lancet. 1987;2(8549):40-1. (Pubitemid 17083683)
33. Rich JD, Buck A, Tuomala RE, et al. Transmission of human immunodeficiency virus infection presumed to have occurred via female homosexual contact. Clin Infect Dis. 1993;17(6):1003-5. (Pubitemid 23358745)
34. Sabatinti MT, Patel K, Hirschman R. Kaposi's sarcoma and T-cell lymphoma in an immunodeficient woman: a case report. AIDS Res. 1983-1984;1(2):135-7. (Pubitemid 14110989)
35. Petersen LR, Doll L, White C, et al. No evdence for female-tofemale HIV transmission among 960,000 female blood donors: the HIV blood donor study group. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 1992;5(9):853-5.
36. Cohen H, Marmor M, Wolfe H, et al. Risk assessment of HIV transmision among lesbians. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 1993;6(10):1173-4.
37. Shotsky WJ. Women who have sex with other women: HIV seroprevalence in New York State counseling and testing programs. Women Health. 1996;24(2):1-15. (Pubitemid 26418362)
38. Lemp GF, Jones M, Kellogg TA, et al. HIV seroprevalence and risk behaviors among lesbians and bisexual women in San Francisco and Berkeley, California. Am J Public Health. 1995;85(11):1549-52.
39. Martin HL, Richardson BA, Nyange PM, et al. Vaginal lactobacilli, microbial flora, and risk of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and sexually transmitted disease acquisition. J Infect Dis. 1999;180(6):1863-8.
40. Myer L, Kuhn L, Stein ZA, et al. Intravaginal practices, bacterial vaginosis, and women's susceptibility to HIV infection: epidemiological evidence and biological mechanisms. Lancet Infect Dis. 2005;5(12):786-94. (Pubitemid 41688983)
41. Myer L, Denny L, Telerant R, et al. Bacterial vaginosis and susceptibility to HIV infection in South African women: a nested case-control study. J Infect Dis. 2005;192(8):1372-80. (Pubitemid 41401150)
42. Atashili J, Poole C, Ndumbe PM, et al. Bacterial vaginosis and HIV acquisition: a meta-analysis of published studies. AIDS. 2008;22(12):1493-501.
43. Berger BJ, Kolton S, Zenilman JM, et al. Bacterial vaginosis in lesbians: a sexually transmitted disease. Clin Infect Dis. 1995;21 (6):1402-5. (Pubitemid 26066629)
44. McCaffrey M, Varney P, Evans B, et al. Bacterial vaginosis in lesbians: evidence for lack of sexual transmission. Int J STD AIDS. 1999;10(5):305-8. (Pubitemid 29221747)
45. Bailey JV, Farquhar C, Owen C. Bacterial vaginosis in lesbians and bisexual women. Sex Transm Dis. 2004;31(11):691-4. (Pubitemid 39426402)
46. Evans AL, Scally AJ, Wellard SJ, et al. Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in lesbians and heterosexual women in a community setting. Sex Transm Infect. 2007;83(6):470-5. (Pubitemid 350043740)
47. Koumans EH, Sternberg M, Bruce C, et al. The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in the United States, 2001-2004; associations with symptoms, sexual behaviors, and reproductive health. Sex Transm Dis. 2007;34(11):864-9. (Pubitemid 350287499)
48. Marrazzo JM, Koutsky LA, Eschenbach DA, et al. Characterization of vaginal flora and bacterial vaginosis in women who have sex with women. J Infect Dis. 2002;185(9):1307-13. (Pubitemid 34439138)
49. Fethers KA, Fairley CK, Hocking JS, et al. Sexual risk factors and bacterial vaginosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Infect Dis. 2008;47(11):1426-35.
50. Marrazzo JM, Thomas KK, Agnew K, et al. Prevalence and risks for bacterial vaginosis in women who have sex with women. Sex Transm Dis. 2010;37(5):335-9.
51. Marrazzo JM, Thomas KK, Fiedler TL, et al. Risks for acquisition of bacterial vaginosis among women who report sex with women: a cohort study. PLoS One. 2010;5(6):e11139. This prospective stud of incident bacterial vaginosis demonstrated some risks that may be more prevalent among or unique to women who have sex with women, including having a recent sex partner with bacterial vaginosis and recent receptive oral sex.
52. Oakley BB, Fiedler TL, Marrazzo JM, et al. Diversity of human vaginal bacterial communities and associations with clinically defined bacterial vaginosis. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2008;74 (15):4898-909.
53. Fredricks DN, Fiedler TL, Marrazzo JM. Molecular identification of bacteria associated with bacterial vaginosis. N Engl J Med. 2005;353(18):1899- 911. (Pubitemid 41565955)
54. Fredricks DN, Fiedler TL, Thomas KK, et al. Targeted PCR for detection of vaginal bacteria associated with bacterial vaginosis. J Clin Microbiol. 2007;45(10):3270-6. (Pubitemid 47585650)
55. Marrazzo JM, Antonio M, Agnew K, et al. Distribution of genital lactobacillus strains shared by female sex partners. J Infect Dis. 2009;199(5):680-3.
56. Hanson JM, McGregor JA, Hillier SL, et al. Metronidazole for bacterial vaginosis. A comparison of vaginal gel vs. oral therapy. J Reprod Med. 2000;45(11):889-96.
57. Hillier SL, Lipinski C, Briselden AM, et al. Efficacy of intravaginal 0.75% metronidazole gel for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. Obstet Gynecol. 1993;81(6):963-7. (Pubitemid 23168742)
58. Livengood 3rd CH, McGregor JA, Soper DE, et al. Bacterial vaginosis: efficacy and safety of intravaginal metronidazole treatment. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1994;170(3):759-64. (Pubitemid 24224694)
59. Bradshaw CS, Morton AN, Hocking J, et al. High recurrence rates of bacterial vaginosis over the course of 12 months after oral metronidazole therapy and factors associated with recurrence. J Infect Dis. 2006;193(11):1478-86. (Pubitemid 43794575)
60. Sobel JD, Ferris D, Schwebke J, et al. Suppressive antibacterial therapy with 0.75% metronidazole vaginal gel to prevent recurrent bacterial vaginosis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2006;194 (5):1283-9.
61. Marrazzo JM, Thomas KK, Fiedler TL, et al. Relationship of specific vaginal bacteria and bacterial vaginosis treatment failure in women who have sex with women. Ann Intern Med. 2008;149 (1):20-8.
62. Colli E, Landoni M, Parazzini F. Treatment of male partners and recurrence of bacterial vaginosis: a randomised trial. Genitourin Med. 1997;73(4):267-70. (Pubitemid 27376689)
63. Moi H, Erkkola R, Jerve F, et al. Should male consorts of women with bacterial vaginosis be treated? Genitourin Med. 1989;65 (4):263-8. (Pubitemid 19240560)
64. Vejtorp M, Bollerup AC, Vejtorp L, et al. Bacterial vaginosis: a double-blind randomized trial of the effect of treatment of the sexual partner. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1988;95(9):920-6.
65. Vutyavanich T, Pongsuthirak P, Vannareumol P, et al. A randomized double-blind trial of tinidazole treatment of the sexual partners of females with bacterial vaginosis. Obstet Gynecol. 1993;82(4 Pt 1):550-4. (Pubitemid 23278256)
66. Gray RH, Kigozi G, Serwadda D, et al. The effects of male circumcision on female partners' genital tract symptoms and vaginal infections in a randomized trial in Rakai, Uganda. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2009;200(1):42.e1-e7.
67. Marrazzo J, Thomas KK, Ringwood K. A behavioral intervention to reduce persistence of bacterial vaginosis among women who report sex with women: results of a randomized trial. Sex Transm Infect. 2011;87:399-405.
68. Commitee on Lesbian Health Research Priorities IoM. In: Solarz A, editor. Lesbian health: current assessment and direction for the future. Washington DC: National Academy Press; 1999.