Journal of AIDS & Clinical Research

Prevalence and Clinical Significance of Mycoplasma genitalium in Gynecologic Patients

Abstract

Oluwatosin Goje, Jessian L Munoz, Frederick S Nolte and David E Soper

Objective: Mycoplasma genitalium has been recognized as a cause of male urethritis, and there is now evidence suggesting it causes cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women. Methods: Prevalence, risk factors and co-infections with other sexually transmitted pathogens were collected in a cross-sectional study looking at 400 women at the gynecologic clinics of a university medical center in the United States. Bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis were diagnosed using Amsel’s criteria, gram stain and trichomonas culture respectively. Cervicitis and PID were clinically diagnosed. After testing for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the residual cervical swab transport medium (Gen-Probe/Hologic®) was stored at -70°C. Stored samples were later analyzed for M. genitalium by a research use only transcription-mediated amplification assay using procedures similar to those established for APTIMA Combo2 assay for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae (Gen-Probe/Hologic®). Results: The overall prevalence of infection with C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, T. vaginalis and M. genitalium was found to be 7.8%, 1.8%, 10.43% and 8.9%, respectively. Prevalence of M. genitalium was comparable to that of C. trachomatis and greater than the prevalence of N. gonorrhoeae. Univariate analysis of M. genitalium status showed that participants with lower condom use had an increased probability of M. genitalium (p=0.037). Conclusion: Prevalence of M. genitalium was comparable to C. trachomatis in our study, but more research is needed to clarify pathogenicity.