Effects of vaginal intercourse with and without a condom on vaginal flora and vaginal epithelium

Effects of a single episode of intercourse on vaginal flora and epithelium were examined in subjects randomly assigned to groups that used no condom o r lubricated nonspermicide condoms. Subjects were evaluated at visits befor e (1 month and 1-2 days) and after (8-12 h, 2-3 days, and 6-8 days) an inde x episode of sexual intercourse. The 22 subjects who used no condoms had si gnificantly more Escherichia coli and a high concentration (greater than or equal to 10(5) cfu/mL) of E. coli in the vagina (both, P < .001) and urine (all <10(5) cfu/mL; P = .004) at visit 3 than at visits 1 and 2. The 20 su bjects who used condoms had a trend toward more vaginal E. coli (P = .06) a nd a significant increase in other enteric gram-negative rods (P = .001) af ter intercourse. Intercourse was not associated with gross, colposcopic, or histologic vaginal epithelial abnormalities.