MYCOPLASMA

Signs and symptoms of urethritis and cervicitis among women with or without Mycoplasma genitalium or Chlamydia trachomatis infection

L Falk¹, H Fredlund², J S Jensen³

¹ Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden
² Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden
³ Mycoplasma Laboratory, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Lars Falk
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital, Örebro, SE -701 85 Örebro, Sweden; lars.falk{at}orebroll.se

Objectives: To study the prevalence, symptoms, and signs of Mycoplasma genitalium and Chlamydia trachomatis infections in women attending a Swedish STD clinic, accessible for both sexes, and in a group of young women called in the cervical cancer screening programme.

Methods: A cross sectional study among female STD clinic attendees in Örebro and a study among women called for Papanicolaou smear screening. Attendees were examined for urethritis and cervicitis. First void urine and endocervical samples were tested for M genitalium and C trachomatis.

Results: The prevalence of C trachomatis and M genitalium in the STD clinic population was 10% (45/465) and 6% (26/461), respectively. Dual infection was diagnosed in four women. In the cancer screening group of women the corresponding prevalence was 2% (1/59) and 0%, respectively. Among the STD clinic attendees there were no significant differences in symptoms (32% v 23%, RR 1.4, 95% CI 0.6 to 3.4) or signs (71% v 50%, RR 1.4, 95% CI 0.9 to 2.3) between C trachomatis and M genitalium infections. Microscopic signs of cervicitis were significantly more common among M genitalium and C trachomatis infected women than in the cancer screening group of women. 56% (15/27) of male partners of M genitalium infected women were infected with M genitalium compared to 59% of male partners of C trachomatis infected women who were infected with C trachomatis (p = 0.80).

Conclusions: M genitalium is a common infection associated with cervicitis and with a high prevalence of infected sexual partners supporting its role as a cause of sexually transmitted infection.

Abbreviations: FVU, first void urine; HPF, high power field; NCNGU, non-chlamydial non-gonococcal urethritis; NGU, non-gonococcal urethritis; NSI, non-specific inflammation; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; PMNL, polymorphonuclear leucocytes; STI, sexually transmitted infections

Keywords: sexually transmitted infections; Mycoplasma; Chlamydia; prevalence; women

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