Male-Partner Treatment to Prevent Recurrence of Bacterial Vaginosis

In this open-label, randomized controlled trial, 164 heterosexual couples were enrolled to determine whether treating male partners with oral and topical antimicrobials alongside standard treatment for women reduces bacterial vaginosis recurrence. Over 12 weeks, women whose partners received treatment had significantly lower recurrence (35%) compared to those whose partners were untreated (63%). The intervention targeted both penile urethral and cutaneous carriage of BV-associated organisms. No serious adverse events were reported. The study demonstrates that concurrent partner treatment meaningfully improves short-term BV cure rates and supports a re-evaluation of standard care protocols.

In this open-label, randomized controlled trial, 164 heterosexual couples were enrolled to determine whether treating male partners with oral and topical antimicrobials alongside standard treatment for women reduces bacterial vaginosis recurrence. Over 12 weeks, women whose partners received treatment had significantly lower recurrence (35%) compared to those whose partners were untreated (63%). The intervention targeted both penile urethral and cutaneous carriage of BV-associated organisms. No serious adverse events were reported. The study demonstrates that concurrent partner treatment meaningfully improves short-term BV cure rates and supports a re-evaluation of standard care protocols.