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Sethi S, Kanaujia R, Yadav R, Sharma N, Dadwal R, Chaudary H, Kaur K, Saini A, Malhotra S, Rathore S, Bagga R. Association of intermediate Nugent Score and bacterial vaginosis with sexually transmitted infections and vulvovaginal candidiasis. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 2023; 0:1-6. [PMID: 37609747 DOI: 10.25259/ijdvl_775_2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Background Bacterial vaginosis is a common vaginal syndrome among females, which leads to significant morbidity and complications, if left untreated. The association of bacterial vaginosis with various sexually transmitted infections has been mentioned in previous literature. However, studies on the intermediate Nugent Score are lacking. This study was planned to examine the association of sexually transmitted infections with the intermediate Nugent Score. Materials and Methods The study included was conducted to include females presenting with vaginal discharge, burning micturition, itching, lower abdominal pain and infertility. The Nugent scoring was used to categorize patients into those having normal flora, intermediate or bacterial vaginosis. Conventional and molecular techniques targeting Trichomonas vaginalis, Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, Syphilis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and vulvovaginal candidiasis were performed. Results A total of 3,531 clinical samples were collected from females with a median age of 28.0 years. The number of patients with bacterial vaginosis and intermediate Nugent Score and positive cases were significantly higher in the 21-35 years age group (P < 0.0001). We observed that the likelihood of test results being positive for Trichomonas vaginalis was higher (P < 0.05), as the abnormality of the vaginal flora increased. Mycoplasma hominis was observed to be significantly higher in the intermediate Nugent Score group than the BV-positive patients (0.6 vs 0.2, P = 0.002). The number of vulvovaginal candidiasis cases in both the bacterial vaginosis-negative and bacterial vaginosis-positive groups were nearly the same (9.3 vs 9.8%). Limitation Individual follow-up couldn't be performed on the patients. Conclusion We observed that the dysbiosis in vaginal microbiota, with an increase in Nugent scoring, was significantly associated with an increased risk for the acquisition of sexually transmitted infections and vulvovaginal candidiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Sethi
- Department of Medical Microbiology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | | | - Rakesh Yadav
- Department of Medical Microbiology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Nandita Sharma
- Department of Medical Microbiology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rajneesh Dadwal
- Department of Medical Microbiology, CSIR-IMTECH, Chandigarh, India
| | - Hemant Chaudary
- Department of Medical Microbiology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Karamjit Kaur
- Department of Medical Microbiology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Aastha Saini
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | | | - Shivali Rathore
- Department of Medical Microbiology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rashmi Bagga
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
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Hoxha I, Lesiak-Markowicz I, Walochnik J, Stary A, Fürnkranz U. The Prevalence of Genital Mycoplasmas and Coinfection with Trichomonas vaginalis in Female Patients in Vienna, Austria. Microorganisms 2023; 11:933. [PMID: 37110356 PMCID: PMC10146908 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11040933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis causes trichomoniasis, the most recurrent sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide. Genital mycoplasmas, not considered STI agents, are frequently isolated from the female genital tract. A symbiosis between Mycoplasma species and T. vaginalis has been described. The aim of this study was to conduct molecular-based analyses of vaginal specimens, thus assessing the prevalence of non-STI Mycoplasma infections. In total, 582 samples from female patients and an additional 20 T. vaginalis isolates were analyzed by PCR using Mycoplasma specific 16S rRNA primers, and the obtained PCR products were sequenced. Mycoplasma species were detected in 28.2% of the collected vaginal samples. Mycoplasma hominis was found in 21.5% of the specimens, Ureaplasma species were found in 7.5% of the samples. The molecular data of the newly described species, CandidatusMycoplasma girerdii, were obtained for the first time in Austria, in a sample also positive for T. vaginalis. Analyses of the cultivated T. vaginalis strains confirmed the presence of M. hominis in two out of 20 samples. A comparably high prevalence of genital mycoplasmas was revealed through advanced diagnostic assays, with M. hominis and U. parvum being the most prevalent species. The previously described symbiotic relationship between M. hominis and T. vaginalis was confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ina Hoxha
- Institute for Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine (ISPTM), Centre for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Iwona Lesiak-Markowicz
- Institute for Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine (ISPTM), Centre for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Walochnik
- Institute for Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine (ISPTM), Centre for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Angelika Stary
- Pilzambulatorium Schlösselgasse, Outpatients Centre for the Diagnosis of Venero-Dermatological Diseases, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ursula Fürnkranz
- Institute for Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine (ISPTM), Centre for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Pilzambulatorium Schlösselgasse, Outpatients Centre for the Diagnosis of Venero-Dermatological Diseases, 1210 Vienna, Austria
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Infection Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance Levels in Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis in Gynecological Outpatients of a Tertiary Hospital in China from 2015 to 2018. THE CANADIAN JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES & MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY = JOURNAL CANADIEN DES MALADIES INFECTIEUSES ET DE LA MICROBIOLOGIE MEDICALE 2021; 2021:8842267. [PMID: 33520043 PMCID: PMC7817312 DOI: 10.1155/2021/8842267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to estimate the Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis infection prevalence and antibiotic resistance levels in gynecological outpatients. Clinical characteristics and laboratory data of gynecological outpatients of the Fourth People's Hospital of Chongqing from 2015 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Antibiotic resistance levels in U. urealyticum and M. hominis were defined by a commercial Mycoplasma kit for antibiotic susceptibility testing. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to evaluate risk factors associated with Mycoplasma isolation. Comparisons of yearly distributions and resistance rates were assessed by chi-square tests. Fifty-six percent of gynecological outpatients were positive for U. urealyticum, and 11.02% were positive for M. hominis. In the univariate analysis, women aged 30–39 years or with a history of pregnancy or gynecological diseases had an increased risk for Mycoplasma isolation, while women who were postmenopausal or had an education level of undergraduate degree or above had a decreased risk of Mycoplasma isolation. In the multivariate logistic regression model, an independent risk factor for Mycoplasma isolation was a history of gynecological diseases, while a bachelor's degree, master's degree, or above were protective factors against Mycoplasma isolation. There were distinctly gradual increases in the positivity rates of U. urealyticum and M. hominis from 2015 to 2018 and an overall increasing trend of resistance to ten antibiotics among U. urealyticum and M. hominis. The top three antibiotics associated with resistance were ofloxacin, sparfloxacin, and levofloxacin. Doxycycline, josamycin, and minocycline were preferred because they had the lowest levels of resistance. Increases in the prevalence of infection and antibiotic resistance in U. urealyticum and M. hominis were observed from 2015 to 2018, clearly confirming the necessity to monitor the standardized administration of antibiotics.
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Ashour DS, Othman AA. Parasite-bacteria interrelationship. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:3145-3164. [PMID: 32748037 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06804-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Parasites and bacteria have co-evolved with humankind, and they interact all the time in a myriad of ways. For example, some bacterial infections result from parasite-dwelling bacteria as in the case of Salmonella infection during schistosomiasis. Other bacteria synergize with parasites in the evolution of human disease as in the case of the interplay between Wolbachia endosymbiont bacteria and filarial nematodes as well as the interaction between Gram-negative bacteria and Schistosoma haematobium in the pathogenesis of urinary bladder cancer. Moreover, secondary bacterial infections may complicate several parasitic diseases such as visceral leishmaniasis and malaria, due to immunosuppression of the host during parasitic infections. Also, bacteria may colonize the parasitic lesions; for example, hydatid cysts and skin lesions of ectoparasites. Remarkably, some parasitic helminths and arthropods exhibit antibacterial activity usually by the release of specific antimicrobial products. Lastly, some parasite-bacteria interactions are induced as when using probiotic bacteria to modulate the outcome of a variety of parasitic infections. In sum, parasite-bacteria interactions involve intricate processes that never cease to intrigue the researchers. However, understanding and exploiting these interactions could have prophylactic and curative potential for infections by both types of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia S Ashour
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt.
| | - Ahmad A Othman
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
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A systematic review of the literature on mechanisms of 5-nitroimidazole resistance in Trichomonas vaginalis. Parasitology 2020; 147:1383-1391. [PMID: 32729451 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182020001237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trichomonas vaginalis is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection. 5-Nitroimidazoles [metronidazole (MTZ) and tinidazole (TDZ)] are FDA-approved treatments. To better understand treatment failure, we conducted a systematic review on mechanisms of 5-nitroimidazole resistance. METHODS PubMed, ScienceDirect and EMBASE databases were searched using keywords Trichomonas vaginalis, trichomoniasis, 5-nitroimidazole, metronidazole, tinidazole and drug resistance. Non-English language articles and articles on other treatments were excluded. RESULTS The search yielded 606 articles, of which 550 were excluded, leaving 58 articles. Trichomonas vaginalis resistance varies and is higher with MTZ (2.2-9.6%) than TDZ (0-2%). Resistance can be aerobic or anaerobic and is relative rather than absolute. Differential expression of enzymes involved in trichomonad energy production and antioxidant defenses affects 5-nitroimidazole drug activation; reduced expression of pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase, ferredoxin, nitroreductase, hydrogenase, thioredoxin reductase and flavin reductase are implicated in drug resistance. Trichomonas vaginalis infection with Mycoplasma hominis or T. vaginalis virus has also been associated with resistance. Trichomonas vaginalis has two genotypes, with greater resistance seen in type 2 (vs type 1) populations. DISCUSSION 5-Nitroimidazole resistance results from differential expression of enzymes involved in energy production or antioxidant defenses, along with genetic mutations in the T. vaginalis genome. Alternative treatments outside of the 5-nitroimidazole class are needed.
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Masha SC, Cools P, Descheemaeker P, Reynders M, Sanders EJ, Vaneechoutte M. Urogenital pathogens, associated with Trichomonas vaginalis, among pregnant women in Kilifi, Kenya: a nested case-control study. BMC Infect Dis 2018; 18:549. [PMID: 30400890 PMCID: PMC6219184 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-018-3455-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Screening of curable sexually transmitted infections is frequently oriented towards the diagnosis of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis, whereas other pathogens, sometimes associated with similar urogenital syndromes, remain undiagnosed and/or untreated. Some of these pathogens are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods In a nested case-control study, vaginal swabs from 79 pregnant women, i.e., 28 T. vaginalis-positive (cases) and 51 T. vaginalis-negative (controls), were screened by quantitative PCR for Adenovirus 1 and 2, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and 2, Chlamydia trachomatis, Escherichia coli, Haemophilus ducreyi, Mycoplasma genitalium, M. hominis, candidatus M. girerdii, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Streptococcus agalactiae, Treponema pallidum, Ureaplasma parvum, U. urealyticum, and Candida albicans. Additionally, we determined whether women with pathogens highly associated with T. vaginalis had distinct clinical signs and symptoms compared to women with T. vaginalis mono-infection. Results M. hominis was independently associated with T. vaginalis (adjusted odds ratio = 6.8, 95% CI: 2.3–19.8). Moreover, M. genitalium and Ca M. girerdii were exclusively detected in women with T. vaginalis (P = 0.002 and P = 0.001), respectively. Four of the six women co-infected with T. vaginalis and Ca M. girerdii complained of vaginal itching, compared to only 4 out of the 22 women infected with T. vaginalis without Ca M. girerdii (P = 0.020). Conclusion We confirm M. hominis as a correlate of T. vaginalis in our population, and the exclusive association of both M. genitalium and Ca. M. girerdii with T. vaginalis. Screening and treatment of these pathogens should be considered. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12879-018-3455-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon C Masha
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Geographic Medicine Research - Coast, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 230, Kilifi, Kenya. .,Laboratory Bacteriology Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan, 185, Ghent, Belgium. .,Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya.
| | - Piet Cools
- Laboratory Bacteriology Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan, 185, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Patrick Descheemaeker
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical Microbiology, AZ St-Jan Brugge-Oostende, Bruges, Belgium
| | - Marijke Reynders
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical Microbiology, AZ St-Jan Brugge-Oostende, Bruges, Belgium
| | - Eduard J Sanders
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Geographic Medicine Research - Coast, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 230, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Mario Vaneechoutte
- Laboratory Bacteriology Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan, 185, Ghent, Belgium
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Trichomonas vaginalis infection in symbiosis with Trichomonasvirus and Mycoplasma. Res Microbiol 2017; 168:882-891. [PMID: 28366838 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2017.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis is a protozoan with an extracellular obligatory parasitic lifestyle exclusively adapted to the human urogenital tract and responsible for nearly a quarter billion sexually transmitted infections worldwide each year. This review focuses on symbiotic Trichomonasvirus and mycoplasmas carried by the protozoan, their molecular features and their role in altering the human vaginal microbiome and the immunopathogenicity of the parasite. Improved diagnostics and larger clinical interventional studies are needed to confirm the causative role of protozoan symbionts in the variable clinical presentation of trichomoniasis and its morbid sequelae, including adverse reproductive outcome, susceptibility to viral infections and cancer.
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Khattab RA, Abdelfattah MM. Study of the prevalence and association of ocular chlamydial conjunctivitis in women with genital infection by Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium and Candida albicans attending outpatient clinic. Int J Ophthalmol 2016; 9:1176-86. [PMID: 27588273 DOI: 10.18240/ijo.2016.08.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Accepted: 12/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM To determine the association between chlamydial conjunctivitis and genital infection by Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium and Candida albicans, in addition to the possible relationship between cultured bacterial pathogens and oculogenital chlamydial infection. METHODS This study was performed on 100 (50 symptomatic and 50 asymptomatic) women attending the Gynecological and Obstetric outpatient clinic of Alzahra hospital, Alazhar University. Simultaneously a conjunctival swab was taken from these patients. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done on DNA extracted from both vaginal and conjunctival swab samples. Culture for both vaginal and conjunctival swabs was also done. RESULTS Candida albicans was the predominant organism isolated by culture in 20% and 40% of conjunctival and vaginal swabs respectively. By the PCR method, ocular Chlamydia trachomatis was present in 60% of symptomatic women, while genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection was present in 30% of symptomatic women. The results of this method also indicated that 25/50 (50%) vaginal swabs were positive with PCR for Candida albicans versus 15/50 (30%) were PCR positive in conjunctival swab. Mycoplasma genitalium was present in only 10% of vaginal swabs. Concomitant oculogenital PCR positive results for Chlamydia trachomatis and Candida albicans were 30% and 28% respectively. CONCLUSION Ocular Chlamydia trachomatis was associated with genital Chlamydia trachomatis in a high percentage of women followed by Candida albicans. Cultured bacterial organisms do not play a role in enhancement of Chlamydia trachomatis infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rania Abdelmonem Khattab
- Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr Al-Aini, Cairo 11562, Egypt
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Martin DH, Zozaya M, Lillis RA, Myers L, Nsuami MJ, Ferris MJ. Unique vaginal microbiota that includes an unknown Mycoplasma-like organism is associated with Trichomonas vaginalis infection. J Infect Dis 2013; 207:1922-31. [PMID: 23482642 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jit100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis infection is highest in women with intermediate Nugent scores. We hypothesized that the vaginal microbiota in T. vaginalis-infected women differs from that in T. vaginalis-uninfected women. METHODS Vaginal samples from 30 T. vaginalis-infected women were matched by Nugent score to those from 30 T. vaginalis-uninfected women. Equal numbers of women with Nugent scores categorized as normal, intermediate, and bacterial vaginosis were included. The vaginal microbiota was assessed using 454 pyrosequencing analysis of polymerase chain reaction-amplified 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences. The 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence of an unknown organism was obtained by universal bacterial polymerase chain reaction amplification, cloning, and sequencing. RESULTS Principal coordinates analysis of the pyrosequencing data showed divergence of the vaginal microbiota in T. vaginalis-infected and T. vaginalis-uninfected patients among women with normal and those with intermediate Nugent scores but not among women with bacterial vaginosis. Cluster analysis revealed 2 unique groups of T. vaginalis-infected women. One had high abundance of Mycoplasma hominis and other had high abundance of an unknown Mycoplasma species. Women in the former group had clinical evidence of enhanced vaginal inflammation. CONCLUSIONS T. vaginalis may alter the vaginal microbiota in a manner that is favorable to its survival and/or transmissibility. An unknown Mycoplasma species plays a role in some of these transformations. In other cases, these changes may result in a heightened host inflammatory response.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Martin
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1542 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
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Takeyama K, Mitsuzawa H, Shimizu T, Konishi M, Nishitani C, Sano H, Kunishima Y, Matsukawa M, Takahashi S, Shibata KI, Tsukamoto T, Kuroki Y. Prostate cell lines secrete IL-8 in response to Mycoplasma hominis through Toll-like receptor 2-mediated mechanism. Prostate 2006; 66:386-91. [PMID: 16302262 DOI: 10.1002/pros.20358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The roles of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and Mycoplasma in prostate inflammation remain unclear. We investigated whether Mycoplasma induced inflammatory cytokine secretion through TLR2-mediated mechanism in prostate cancer cell line. METHODS Cell surface expression of TLR2 on PC-3 cells were examined by flowcytometry. PC-3 cells were stimulated with Mycoplasma hominis (M. hominis), and IL-8 secretion and NF-kappaB activation were examined. RESULTS PC-3 cells expressed TLR2 mRNA and cell surface TLR2 protein. The membrane fraction of M. hominis induced IL-8 secretion from PC-3 cells and NF-kappaB activation in a concentration-dependent manner. Transient transfection of the dominant negative mutant TLR2(P681H) into PC-3 cells attenuated M. hominis-induced IL-8 secretion and NF-kappaB activation. Antibody against the extracellular TLR2 domain significantly suppressed M. homnis-induced IL-8 secretion from the prostate cell lines including PC-3, PrEC, and transformed myofibroblasts. CONCLUSIONS These results clearly demonstrate that the prostate cell line can secrete inflammatory cytokine in response to M. hominis through a TLR2-mediated mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koh Takeyama
- Department of Biochemistry, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
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Dessì D, Delogu G, Emonte E, Catania MR, Fiori PL, Rappelli P. Long-term survival and intracellular replication of Mycoplasma hominis in Trichomonas vaginalis cells: potential role of the protozoon in transmitting bacterial infection. Infect Immun 2005; 73:1180-6. [PMID: 15664961 PMCID: PMC546971 DOI: 10.1128/iai.73.2.1180-1186.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The existence of a symbiotic relationship between Trichomonas vaginalis and Mycoplasma hominis, which is the first reported example of symbiosis between two obligate human pathogens, has been recently reported by our research group. In this work, we examined the cellular location of M. hominis in respect to T. vaginalis. By using gentamicin protection assays, double immunofluorescence, and confocal microscopy, we obtained strong evidence that M. hominis is located within protozoan cells. 5-Bromodeoxyuridine incorporation assays showed that intracellularly located mycoplasmas actively synthesize DNA. Our results demonstrate that M. hominis has the capability of entering trichomonad cells and of replicating inside the protozoon. These findings suggest that symbiosis might provide the bacteria, during human infection, with the capability to resist to environmental stresses, such as host defense mechanisms and pharmacological therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Dessì
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Experimental and Clinical Microbiology, University of Sassari, Viale S. Pietro 43/B, 07100 Sassari, Italy
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