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Mycoplasma genitalium
Detection of Mycoplasma genitalium in women with laparoscopically diagnosed acute salpingitis
  1. C R Cohen3,5,
  2. N R Mugo3,
  3. S G Astete2,
  4. R Odondo4,
  5. L E Manhart2,
  6. J A Kiehlbauch5,
  7. W E Stamm2,
  8. P G Waiyaki5,
  9. P A Totten2
  1. 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
  2. 2Department of Obstetrics and Medicine University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
  3. 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
  4. 4Department of Obstetrics and Medical Microbiology University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
  5. 5Center for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
  1. Correspondence to:
 Craig R Cohen
 MD, MPH, 74 New Montgomery Street, Suite 600, UCSF, Box 0886, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA; ccohen{at}psg.ucsf.edu

Abstract

Objectives:Mycoplasma genitalium has been associated with cervicitis, endometritis, and tubal factor infertility. Because the ability of this bacterium to ascend and infect the fallopian tube remains undefined, we performed an investigation to determine the prevalence of M genitalium in fallopian tube, endometrial, and cervical specimens from women laparoscopically diagnosed with acute salpingitis in Nairobi, Kenya.

Methods: Women presenting with pelvic inflammatory disease were laparoscopically diagnosed with salpingitis. Infection with M genitalium in genital specimens was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results: Of 123 subjects with acute salpingitis, M genitalium was detected by PCR in the cervix and/or endometrium in nine (7%) participants, and in a single fallopian tube specimen. In addition, those infected with M genitalium were more often HIV infected than women not infected by M genitalium (seven of nine (78%) v 42 of 114 (37%), p<0.03).

Conclusions:M genitalium is able to ascend into the fallopian tube, but its association with tubal pathology requires further investigation.

  • CSS, clinical severity score
  • NGU, non-gonococcal urethritis
  • PCR, polymerase chain reaction
  • PID, pelvic inflammatory disease
  • TOA, tubo-ovarian abscess
  • pelvic inflammatory disease
  • salpingitis
  • Mycoplasma genitalium
  • Africa

https://doi.org/10.1136/sti.2005.015701

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    Footnotes

    • *Currently affiliated with the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science University of California San Francisco, CA, USA.

    • †Currently affiliated with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Laboratory Administration, Baltimore, MD, USA.

    • This study was funded by the Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinical Trial Unit (AI753329) to CRC, RO1 AI48634 to PAT, and training grants T22 TW00001 for NRM and T32 AI107140 for LEM.

    • This study was presented at the International Society of Sexually Transmitted Disease and Research, 27–31 July 2003, Ottawa, Canada.

      The study protocol was approved by the institutional review board for human subjects at the University of Washington, and by the ethics review committee at Kenyatta National Hospital and the Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya. Procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards for human experimentation established by the Declaration of Helsinki of 1975, revised in 1983.

      The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organisations imply endorsement by the US Government. No author on this manuscript had any conflict of interest, either financial or personal, that may have biased his or her actions.