Etiology of persistent tubo-ovarian abscess in Nairobi, Kenya.

Objective: To study the microbial etiology of tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA).

Methods: We recruited 11 women in Nairobi, Kenya who failed antibiotic therapy alone and required surgical drainage of a presumptive TOA. Pus from the nine abscesses and two pyosalpinges were collected and cultured for aerobic, facultative and anaerobic microorganisms.