Abstract
A retrospective study of the smears from IUD wearers was conducted in order to survey the correlation between actinomycosis and the IUD. One hundred and five IUD wearers and one hundred non-wearers (control) were cytologically evaluated to detect actinomyces. In this study, five kinds of IUD were used and the samples were obtained from the vaginal, endocervical, endometrial and touch smears of the removed IUD. A comparison of the period of wearing IUD between the actinomyces-detected and non-detected groups was made. In addition, cytological findings of the actinomycosis were examined.
As a result, actinomycotic colonies were found in 14 IUD wearers (13.3%), but not in all non-wearers. There was no significant difference in the incidence of the actinomycotic infection among the five kinds of IUD. These organisms were more detectable in the cervicovaginal smears than in the endometrial or the touch smears. The period of wearing IUD was longer in the actinomycesdetected group than in non-detected group.
Cytological features of the actinomycotic infection showed that the organisms clustered and formed irregular islands of amorphous material, and that the color of these aggregates was black to brown or grayish blue and they had a central core or granules (sulphur granules), from which the filaments radiated.
It is suggested that the organisms specifically infect the IUD wearers, located specifically in the vagina and cervix but rarely in the intrauterine and pelvic cavities.
