Bacterial vaginosis-associated vaginal microbiota is an age-independent risk factor for Chlamydia trachomatis , Mycoplasma genitalium and Trichomonas vaginalis infections in low-risk women, St. Petersburg, Russia

This study evaluated associations between BV-associated vaginal microbiota and STIs (Chlamydia trachomatis,Mycoplasma genitalium,Trichomonas vaginalis, andNeisseria gonorrhoeae) in a population of women with low risk for STIs and investigated STI outcomes depending on the dominatingLactobacillus species. Repository cervicovaginal samples collected from reproductive-age women from January 2014 to February 2019 were characterized for vaginal microbiota types and the STIs using multiplex real-time PCR assays. In total, 95 STI-positive and 91 STI-negative samples were included. A significant, age-independent association between BV-associated vaginal microbiota and the presence ofC. trachomatis,M. genitalium, andT. vaginalis infections was identified (age-adjusted odds ratios 2.92 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24 –7.03], 2.88 [95% CI 1.19–7.16], and 9.75 × 107 [95% CI 13.03- ∞], respectively). Normal vaginal microbiota dominated byLactobacillus crispatus, L. gasseri, orL. jensenii was a strong protective factor againstC. trachomatis and/orM. genitalium infections, whereasL. iners-dominated microbiota was not significantly associated withC. trachomatis and/orM. genitalium positivity. The results of the present study confirm that STI prevention strategies should include interventions that also reduce the incidence of BV and promote a protective vaginal microbiota in both high- and low-risk women.
Source: European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases - Category: Microbiology Source Type: research