Effect of Lactobacillus crispatus on Female Reproductive Tract Health and Its Antibacterial and Anti-inflammatory Mechanisms / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

Lactobacilli are important colonizing bacteria in female reproductive tract， among which Lactobacillus crispatus is closely associated with reproductive tract health and plays a crucial role in maintaining the vaginal microbiota balance. A decrease in the abundance of Lactobacillus crispatus may be correlated with various female reproductive tract diseases， such as bacterial vaginosis and vulvovaginal candidiasis， and it can even lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes such as infertility and embryo arrest. This article provides an overview of the basic characteristics of Lactobacillus crispatus， relationship between the decrease of its quantity and reproductive tract diseases， its ability to inhibit pathogenic bacteria such as Candida albicans and Chlamydia trachomatis， and the anti-inflammatory effects of Lactobacillus crispatus. The aim is to provide references for the use of Lactobacillus crispatus in vaginal therapeutics.

Epidemiological surveillance of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes in oral and genital tracts and the impact of HPV vaccination on male university students from Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil / Vigilância Epidemiológica dos genótipos de papilomavírus humano (HPV) nos tratos oral e genital e o impacto da vacinação em estudantes universitários do sexo masculino do estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Introduction: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infections are of significant concern in men, given its potential impact on their health and the risk of transmission to partners. Understanding and addressing this infection in men is crucial to evaluate the effectiveness of vaccination in reducing HPV-related diseases. Objective: To assess the impact of HPV vaccination, potential genotype shifts, and adverse effects, through a prospective study conducted with male university students. Methods:The study involved 286 volunteers who were examined at Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics at the Universidade Federal Fluminense in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The HPV prevalence was evaluated using generic PCR, genotyped by DNA microarray and monitored adverse effects. Results: The findings of this study revealed the absence of moderate or severe adverse effects. Genetic shifts were observed, including the disappearance of oncogenic HPV types 16 and 18. Surprisingly, even after completing the full vaccine regimen, students still harbored HPV11 in the oral tract. Furthermore, persistent HPV 6 and 11 infections were identified in three students, who had pre-existing infections prior to vaccination, at the follow-up visit. Multivariate analysis uncovered independent associations, notably an increased risk of HPV infection in the oral tract among men who have sex with men. HPV prevalence rates remained low both before and after the vaccination scheme (T0: 14.7%, T1: 8.7%). Even after the full vaccination scheme, the prevalence remained similar at T2 (14.6%), with no statistically significant differences recorded. HPV11 emerged as the most prevalent type throughout the study, followed by HPV6. Vaccine genotypes were detected in a significant proportion of samples at T0 (85.4%), T1 (89.5%), and T2 (100%). Conclusion: Overall, this study suggests that vaccination may represent a promising approach to reducing HPV-related health risks. These findings shed light on the potential benefits and challenges of HPV vaccination, emphasizing the need for continued monitoring and vaccination efforts

Introdução: As infecções por papilomavírus humano (HPV) são de grande preocupação em homens, dada sua possível influência na saúde deles e no risco de transmissão para parceiros. Compreender e abordar essa infecção em homens é fundamental para avaliar a eficácia da vacinação na redução de doenças relacionadas ao HPV. Objetivo: Avaliar o impacto da vacinação contra o HPV, possíveis alterações genotípicas e efeitos adversos, por meio de um estudo prospectivo realizado em estudantes universitários do sexo masculino. Métodos: O estudo envolveu 286 voluntários examinados em Clínicas de Doenças Sexualmente Transmissíveis na Universidade Federal Fluminense, em Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. A prevalência do HPV foi avaliada por polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genérico e genotipada por microarranjo de DNA, e foram monitorados os efeitos adversos. Resultados: Os resultados deste estudo revelaram a ausência de efeitos adversos moderados ou graves. Observaram-se mudanças genéticas, incluindo o desaparecimento dos tipos oncogênicos do HPV 16 e 18. Surpreendentemente, mesmo após a conclusão do esquema completo de vacinação, os estudantes ainda abrigavam o HPV 11 na cavidade oral. Além disso, foram identificadas infecções persistentes pelo HPV 6 e 11 em três estudantes que já tinham infecções preexistentes antes da vacinação e na visita de acompanhamento. A análise multivariada revelou associações independentes, especialmente um aumento no risco de infecção pelo HPV na cavidade oral em homens que têm relações sexuais com homens. As taxas de prevalência do HPV permaneceram baixas tanto antes quanto depois do esquema de vacinação (T0: 14,7%, T1: 8,7%). Mesmo após a conclusão do esquema de vacinação, a prevalência permaneceu semelhante em T2 (14,6%), sem diferenças estatisticamente significativas registradas. O HPV 11 emergiu como o tipo mais prevalente ao longo do estudo, seguido pelo HPV 6. Genótipos da vacina foram detectados em uma proporção significativa de amostras em T0 (85,4%), T1 (89,5%) e T2 (100%). Conclusão: No geral, este estudo sugere que a vacinação pode representar uma abordagem promissora para a redução dos riscos à saúde relacionados ao HPV. Esses achados lançam luz sobre os benefícios e desafios potenciais da vacinação contra o HPV, enfatizando a necessidade de monitoramento contínuo e esforços de vacinação

Fibroepithelial stromal polyp of vagina in pregnancy - A mimicker

A rare mesenchymal neoplasm of the lower female genital tract, fibroepithelial stromal tumor, may be confused with other more aggressive lesions. The appearance in pregnancy may further complicate a normal vaginal delivery and lead to confusion with a more unfavorable diagnosis. Even on histological examination, it is pertinent to rule put other stromal tumors of the region. To avoid overdiagnosis, the pathologist must be aware of the specific histomorphology. We report a case of fibroepithelial stromal polyp in a 32-year-old pregnant woman as an incidental finding during a routine antenatal check-up.

Pregnancies in anomalous uterus: series of three cases

Uterine malformations can result from various alterations in the normal development of Mullerian ducts that make up a diverse category of congenital anomalies. In most cases, the defect remains undiagnosed and exhibits the normal number of chromosomes. Very few malformations require any intervention after thorough investigations. The most frequently used classification by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine is comprehensive, but does not include cervical or vaginal malformations. The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology has postulated a consensus that precisely shows independent cervical malformations.

Clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic analysis of patients with female genital tract diffuse large B-cell lymphoma / 白血病·淋巴瘤

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics, gene mutation profile, and prognostic factors of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in female genital tract.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinicopathological data of 30 patients with female genital tract DLBCL who were admitted to Rui Jin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from October 2003 to October 2021. Targeted sequencing was used to detect 55 lymphoma-related genes, and the gene mutation status of patients was evaluated. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and prognostic factors were analyzed by Cox proportional hazards model.Results:The median age of 30 female genital tract DLBCL patients at diagnosis was 58 years old (23-77 years old). The initial symptoms mainly included abdominal pain, distension, and masses (8 cases, 32%). Tumors most commonly located in the adnexal region (including ovaries and fallopian tubes) (13 cases, 45%), of which 9 cases were unilateral. Twenty-one cases (70%) had multiple extra-nodal involvements, 22 cases (73%) had Ann Arbor stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ, 8 cases (27%) had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score of ≥2, and 22 cases (73%) had elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), 21 cases (70%) had International Prognostic Index (IPI) score of 3-5. Within 30 patients, 11 patients (37%) received surgery, and all patients received R-CHOP regimen-based chemotherapy. All 30 cases were evaluated for efficacy, the complete remission rate was 83% (25/30), the 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 69.7%, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 79.6%. Univariate analysis showed that ECOG score ≥2 was associated with worse OS ( P = 0.048). Among the 30 patients, 7 patients (23%) were primary and 23 patients (77%) were secondary. The proportions of patients with Ann Arbor stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ, IPI score 3-5 and elevated LDH in secondary patients were higher than those in primary patients (all P < 0.001), but there were no significant differences in PFS and OS between the two ( P values were 0.261 and 0.671). The targeted sequencing results of 16 patients showed that the mutation rates of PIM1, MYD88, KMT2D, TP53, CARD11, CCND3 and GNA13 were all > 20%, and TP53 mutation was associated with poorer PFS and OS ( P values 0.012 and 0.002). Conclusions:Female genital tract DLBCL is a rare invasive extranodal DLBCL with similar survival prognosis in primary and secondary patients. High-frequency mutations of PIM1, MYD88 and TP53 genes may provide new directions for treatment.

Chlamydia trachomatis infection in the genital tract is associated with inflammation and hypospermia in the infertile male of China / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection is the most prevalent sexually transmitted bacterial disease worldwide. However, unlike that in female infertility, the role of CT infection in male infertility remains controversial. The objective of this retrospective study was to explore the impacts of CT infection in the genital tract on sperm quality, sperm acrosin activity, antisperm antibody levels, and inflammation in a large cohort of infertile males in China. A total of 7154 semen samples were collected from infertile male subjects, 416 of whom were CT positive (CT+ group) and 6738 of whom were CT negative (CT- group), in our hospital between January 2016 and December 2018. Routine semen parameters (semen volume, pH, sperm concentration, viability, motility, morphology, etc.), granulocyte elastase levels, antisperm antibody levels, and sperm acrosin activity were compared between the CT+ and CT- groups. Our results showed that CT infection was significantly correlated with an abnormally low semen volume, as well as an increased white blood cell count and granulocyte elastase level (all P < 0.05) in the semen of infertile males; other routine semen parameters were not negatively impacted. The antisperm antibody level and sperm acrosin activity were not affected by CT infection. These findings suggested that CT infection might contribute to inflammation and hypospermia but does not impair sperm viability, motility morphology, and acrosin activity or generate antisperm antibodies in the infertile males of China.

Viral infections and implications for male reproductive health / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Viral infections have haunted humankind since times immemorial. Overpopulation, globalization, and extensive deforestation have created an ideal environment for a viral spread with unknown and multiple shedding routes. Many viruses can infect the male reproductive tract, with potential adverse consequences to male reproductive health, including infertility and cancer. Moreover, some genital tract viral infections can be sexually transmitted, potentially impacting the resulting offspring's health. We have summarized the evidence concerning the presence and adverse effects of the relevant viruses on the reproductive tract (mumps virus, human immunodeficiency virus, herpes virus, human papillomavirus, hepatitis B and C viruses, Ebola virus, Zika virus, influenza virus, and coronaviruses), their routes of infection, target organs and cells, prevalence and pattern of virus shedding in semen, as well as diagnosis/testing and treatment strategies. The pathophysiological understanding in the male genital tract is essential to assess its clinical impact on male reproductive health and guide future research.

Plasmacytoma of the cervix / Philippine Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

@#Plasmacytoma is a rare disease entity that represents only 5%‒10% of all plasma cell neoplasms. It is rarely found in the female genital tract. There are 8 identified case reports on plasmacytoma of the cervix. The clinical symptoms are nonspecific and biopsy with immunohistochemistry is used to diagnose. Due to the paucity of cases, there is no standard treatment modality. We present a case of a 34-year-old patient who had a history of postcoital bleeding. Biopsy and immunohistochemistry were done which confirmed the diagnosis of plasmacytoma. Total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy with transposition of ovaries was the chosen treatment option.

Vaginal microbiome: community characteristics and disease intervention / 生物工程学报

The application of high-throughput sequencing technologies has greatly enhanced our understanding to the human microbiome. The causal relations between human microbiome and diseases have become a critical issue to elucidate disease development and develop precision medicine. Recently, the study about vaginal microbiome (the microbial flora that inhabits the female vagina) has received wide interests. It has been shown that dysbiosis of vaginal microbiome was closely related to the development of genital tract diseases. This article summarizes the interaction between vaginal microbiome and disease and the treatment for the dysbiosis of vaginal microbiome. The culturomics of virginal microbiome, engineered probiotics and synthetic microbiome were also proposed.

The correlation between colposcopy, cervical cytology and histopathology in the diagnosis and management of cervical lesions: a cross sectional study

Background: The study was undertaken to see the correlation between cervical cytology, histopathology and colposcopy in the diagnosis and management of various cervical lesions.Methods: It is a cross sectional study conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai, in the department of obstetrics and gynecology from February 2007 to March 2008. A total 55 sexually active women were enrolled for the study who belonged to age group greater than 20 years with history of chronic leucorrhoea or post-coital bleeding/spotting, intermenstrual bleeding/spotting or examination findings of erosion, an unhealthy cervix, a lesion bleeding on touch or an abnormal or suspicious Papanicolaou smear. These women then underwent cytology, colposcopy and cervical biopsy.Results: The accuracy of cytology when compared to colposcopy was 81.82%. The accuracy of colpo-histopathology was 83.6%. The combined accuracy was 76.36%.Conclusions: The simultaneous use of cytological studies and screening colposcopy has been shown to increase the cervical cancer detection. Colposcopy offers an excellent tool in the hands of a gynaecologist to evaluate the uterine cervix and it is not possible to develop this kind of perspective by any other method.

Extrarenal angiomyolipoma in uterine cervix: rare presentation in unusual site

Angiomyolipoma is a benign neoplasm composed of variable admixture of blood vessels, smooth muscle cells and adipose tissue. Cervical angiomyolipoma are extremely rare and to the best of our knowledge only five cases of angiomyolipoma in cervix have been reported in the literature till date. Authors are presenting a case of angiomyolipoma arising from the uterine cervix. 43 years old female presented with mass descending per vagina for 6 months. This case had no association with tuberous sclerosis. Microscopic examination showed an ill-defined polypoidal, non-encapsulated lesion covered by keratinized stratified epithelium. The lesion is made up of three components, predominantly by fascicles of spindle shaped cells, varying sized blood vessels and multiple foci of mature adipocytes with no evidence of atypia or increased mitotic activity. Smooth muscle component showed strong immunoreactivity to SMA and absence of elastic fibres in the blood vessels were confirmed by histochemistry. Non-vascular smooth muscle cells were negative for HMB-45 in contrast to renal and other extra-renal angiomyolipoma in which HMB-45 immunoreactivity in seen in these cells. To conclude, the differential diagnosis of lower abdominal mass and dysfunctional uterine bleeding should include the angiomyolipoma, even though the uterine cervix is an extremely rare location where they occur.

Primary vaginal malignant melanoma: A rare entity with review of literature

Primary vaginal malignant melanoma (PVMM) is an extremely rare tumor of the female genital tract, accounting for only 3% of melanomas of the female genital tract and 0.3%–0.8% of all melanomas in females. Vaginal melanoma is a very aggressive tumor with a 5-year survival rate of 5%–25%. High incidence of recurrence, spread to regional lymph nodes, and distant metastasis are responsible for poor prognosis of PVMM. Grossly, amelanotic melanoma of the vagina may be mistaken for other primary vaginal malignancies. Differentiation of malignant melanoma from other primary vaginal melanomas is essential because of better prognosis of most of other vaginal malignancies as compared to melanoma. Despite having poor prognosis, early detection and early treatment of PVMM may improve the prognosis.

Congenital Absence of the Cervix - Its Place in the Present Classification of Female Genital Tract Malformations

Aims and Objective: To outline and group cases of cervical agenesis / dysgenesis according to the associated uterine and vaginal abnormalities, as per the proposed ESHRE/ESGE CONUTA classification. Methods: The study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital and involved a total of 93 young girls diagnosed as having an absent cervix. Patients with utero-vaginal anomalies alone, with a patent cervix - such as uterine septae, uterus didelphys, bicornuate uterus; or transverse vaginal septae, imperforate hymen and complete or partial vaginal atresia, were excluded. All cases were subjected to specific clinical and local examination. Detailed 2 D Ultrasound was done to study the uterus. Identification of the cervix, its presence or absence, length of the cervical canal, hemato-cervix or hematocolpos was done by trans-abdominal route. All the cases were operated by the same team of surgeons, with the first author as the chief surgeon, to confirm and make a final diagnosis. They were then tabulated as per the CONUTA classification. Result: There was absence of the cervix (aplasia / dysplasia) in 93 cases as per the clinical examination, ultrasound, MRI and operative findings. There was complete or partial vaginal atresia (aplasia) in 69 (74.19%) cases and a normal vagina in 22(23.65%) cases. There were 33 cases (35.4%) with a normal uterus, with no cases of T-shaped uterus. There were 29/33 cases (87.89%) without vagina. There was one case with septate uterus and complete cervical and vaginal aplasia. Cases with two Bicornuate uteri with a common aplastic/dysgenetic cervix was seen in 4 cases. In 3 cases the cervix was partially patent in the upper side and obstruction was present only in the lower 4-5mm, causing ‘hemato-cervix’. There were 14 cases (15.1%) with unilaterally formed uterine horn, with the non-communicating rudimentary horn. There were 13 cases (13.9%) of cervical aplasia of the unilateral formed uterine horn. In 11 out of 93 cases (11.8%) of cervical aplasia, uterine aplasia / dysplasia and rudimentary horns with cavity were present. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the fact the patients with congenital absence of the cervix present a diagnostic challenge and that this entity should be thoroughly evaluated. The new ESHRE/ESGE classification system has the potential to overcome the limitations of the previous classification systems as it provides an effective and comprehensive categorization of almost all the currently known anomalies of the female genital tract.

Antibiotic susceptibility pattern of group B streptococcal isolates from maternal genital tract

Background: Group B streptococcus (GBS) is one of the important cause of early onset neonatal sepsis in developed countries leading to increased neonatal morbidity and mortality. Penicillin and Ampicillin are the drugs of choice for prevention of GBS infections. Antibiotic resistance amongst GBS isolates is an emerging health problem affecting neonates. Hence, this study was performed to determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) in a population of pregnant women.Methods: A prospective study was done to screen pregnant women for vaginal and rectal GBS colonization during their regular visits to antenatal clinic. Todd-Hewitt broth, an enrichment medium for GBS was used for isolation. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates were studied.  Results: A total of 300 pregnant women were screened for GBS colonization. GBS colonization rate in our study was 2.3%. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates revealed that none of the isolates were resistant to penicillin or clindamycin, while resistance was noted to erythromycin (14.3%) and   tetracycline (71.4%).Conclusions: GBS continues to remain sensitive to Penicillin which is the drug of choice for prevention and treatment of GBS.  Consistent surveillance of antibiotic sensitivity pattern of GBS as well as for other organisms implicated in new born sepsis and maternal infections is required to formulate guidelines for prevention and treatment.

Análisis microbiológico del tracto genital materno y de la sangre del cordón umbilical en relación con el daño neonatal / Microbiological analysis of the maternal genital tract and umbilical cord blood and its association with neonatal damage

La etiología que conduce al daño neonatal es multifactorial, y los procesos infecciosos pueden estar implicados en él. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar microorganismos del tracto genital materno asociados con el daño neonatal, a fin de prevenir futuras complicaciones perinatológicas. Se estudiaron 711 embarazadas que concurrieron entre enero de 2010 y julio 2013 al consultorio externo de Obstetricia del Hospital de Clínicas de la UBA para sus controles prenatales, y cuyos partos también tuvieron lugar en dicho nosocomio. En la sangre del cordón umbilical se investigó la presencia de Ureaplasma urealyticum y Mycoplasma hominis mediante el cultivo con sustratos metabólicos (Micofast-Biomerieux), y la de Trichomonas vaginalis por PCR, con primers específicos. El estudio microbiológico del contenido vaginal se efectuó en 288 de las embarazadas en la semana 35 a 37. Se empleó la metodología convencional, a la que se agregó el cultivo en tioglicolato modificado para T. vaginalis. Se investigó la presencia de estreptococos grupo B (EGB) en hisopado anorrectaly de introito vaginal, utilizando enriquecimiento en caldo selectivo y posterior siembra en medio cromogénico. Se utilizaron los test de χ² Yates y de Fisher para muestras independientes, considerándose significativo p < 0,05. La vaginosis bacteriana (VB) se relacionó significativamente con el daño neonatal (p = 0,02), al igual que la presencia de M. hominis (p = 0,03) y de T. vaginalis (p = 0,03) en la sangre del cordón umbilical. Las complicaciones predominantes fueron el parto pretérmino, la rotura prematura de membrana (RPM), el bajo peso y un valor de Apgar <7. No se asoció al daño neonatal la presencia de U. urealyticum (p = 0,35) en el cordón umbilical, ni la de Candidaspp. (p = 0,94) o EGB (p = 0,18) en el tracto genital de las madres. Dado que ciertas alteraciones en la microbiota del tracto genital materno se relacionaron con el dano neonatal, consideramos de fundamental importancia realizar el estudio microbiológico del contenido vaginal durante el embarazo, para prevenir posibles complicaciones maternas y perinatológicas.

The etiology leading to neonatal damage is multifactorial, being genital infections one of the causes. The objective of the study was to identify microorganisms of the maternal genital tract that are associated with neonatal damage, in order to prevent future perinatal complications. Seven hundred and eleven pregnant patients attended their prenatal control during the period January 2010-July 2013. Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis presence was investigated in umbilical cord blood by metabolic substrates (Micofast-Biomerieux) and that of T. vaginalis, by PCR using specific primers. The microbiological study of the vaginal contents of 288 pregnant patients at weeks 35 to 37 was performed by conventional methods, adding the modified thioglycolate culture for T. vaginalis. Group B streptococcus (GBS) was investigated in anorectal and vaginal introitus swabs, using selective broth enrichment and subsequent isolation in chromogenic medium. The χ² Yates test and Fisher's test were used for independent samples. A p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The pathogens significantly related to neonatal damage were M. hominis (p = 0.03), T. vaginalis (p = 0.03), and BV (p = 0.02). Main complications were preterm birth, premature rupture of membranes (PRM), low weight and Apgar score <7. U. urealyticum (p = 0.35), Candidaspp. (p = 0.94) and GBS (p = 0.18) were not related to neonatal damage. Since different microorganisms of the maternal genital tract were related to neonatal damage, it is very important to perform the microbiological study of vaginal contents during pregnancy to prevent possible maternal and perinatal complications.

Pathogenesis of nasal and genital infection with herpes simplex virus type Ⅱ in BALB/c mice / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective To observe and analyze the pathological changes in BALB/c mice infected with herpes simplex virus typeⅡ (HSV-2) through nasal and genital inoculation. Methods Six-week old female BALB/c mice were divided into two groups, experimental and control groups. In the experimental group, the mice were infected with HSV-2 (104 CCID50/20μl per mouse) through nasal and genital tract in-oculation. Accordingly, the mice in the control group were injected with equal volume of PBS. Tissue speci-mens were collected from lung, nervous system and reproductive system for pathological analysis and viral load detection at different time points after infection. Lat gene expression in mouse trigeminal and sacral gan-glia was detected through in situ hybridization. In addition, the proliferation of viruses isolated form trigemi-nal and sacral ganglia of the infected mice was observed in vitro. Results Weight loss and histopathological lesions were observed in the mice of the experimental group 6 d after infection. Major pathological changes in the HSV-2-infected mice through nasal tract inoculation involved the lung and central nervous system( CNS) , including alveolar wall congestion, cerebrovascular cuff response and lymphocyte infiltration. How-ever, the major lesions in the infected mice through genital tract inoculation were found in the reproductive ducts, such as sacral ganglion necrosis, eosinophilia in the vagina and uterus, and ovarian congestion. Re-sults of the viral load detection in tissues and organs of the infected mice were consistent with the pathological changes. The mice infected through nasal tract inoculation had significantly higher viral loads in the nerves and lungs than those by genital tract inoculation, but lower viral loads in the genital tracts and sacral ganglia. Positive expression of lat gene at mRNA level was detected in the trigeminal and sacral ganglia of mice with HSV-2 latency 28 d after infection. In addition, both of the tissue fragments from trigeminal and sacral ganglia had cytopathic effects ( CPEs) on Vero cells. Enhanced expression of lat gene at mRNA level and much severer CPEs were induced by genital tract inoculation than by nasal tract inoculation. Conclu-sions HSV-2 could infect and cause histopathological damages in BALB/c mice through both nasal and genital tracts. In addition, the locations of the pathological lesions were closely related to the mode of infection.

Related influencing factors of gynecological diseases in grassroot level female medical staffs / 中国职业医学

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence and relevant influencing factors of gynecological diseases of grassroot level female medical staffs. METHODS: A total of 2 308 female medical workers from county, town and village in hengxian County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were selected as study subjects by cluster sampling method. The basic information, occupational history, reproductive health and fertility of these subjects were investigated by Reproducetive Health Survey Questionnaine of Female Workers. RESULTS: The total prevalence of gynecological diseases in female medical staffs was 21.6%. Among them, the prevalence of genital tract infections was 15.6%, and gynecological tumors was 6.0%. The top three gynecologic diseases were vaginitis(9.2%), uterine fibroids(4.3%) and cervicitis(3.5%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis results indicated that the younger the patients, the higher the risk of reproductive tract infectious diseases(P<0.01), and the lower the risk of gynecological tumors(P<0.01). The risk of reproductive tract infectious diseases and gynecological tumors in married patients was higher than that in unmarried staffs(P<0.05). The higher the number of abortions, the higher the risk of reproductive tract infectious diseases and gynecological tumors(P<0.01). The risk of reproductive tract infectious diseases was higher and the risk of gynecological tumors was lower in female shift workers than that of non-shift workers(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Vaginitis, uterine fibroids and cervicitis are the main gynecological diseases in grassroot level female medical staffs. The incidence of gynecological diseases is related to age, history of marriage, childbirth and abortion, and work-shifts.

Relationships between female infertility and female genital infections and pelvic inflammatory disease: a population-based nested controlled study

OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to examine the associations of female genital infections and certain comorbidities with infertility. METHODS: The Taiwan National Health Research Database was searched for women with a new diagnosis of infertility between 2000 and 2013. Women without a diagnosis of infertility served as a control group and were matched with the infertility cases by age (±3 years) and index year. They were divided into two groups: ≤40 years old and >40 years old. Univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression models were employed to identify the risk factors associated with infertility. RESULTS: A total of 18,276 women with a new diagnosis of infertility and 73,104 matched controls (mean cohort age, 31±6.2 years) were included. According to the adjusted multivariate analysis, pelvic inflammatory disease involving the ovary, fallopian tube, pelvic cellular tissue, peritoneum (odds ratio (OR)=4.823), and uterus (OR=3.050) and cervical, vaginal, and vulvar inflammation (OR=7.788) were associated with an increased risk of infertility in women aged ≤40 years. In women aged >40 years, pelvic inflammatory disease of the ovary, fallopian tube, pelvic cellular tissue, and peritoneum (OR=6.028) and cervical, vaginal, and vulvar inflammation (OR=6.648) were associated with infertility. Obesity, lipid metabolism disorders, dysthyroidism, abortion (spontaneous or induced), bacterial vaginosis, endometritis, and tubo-ovarian abscess were associated with an increased risk of infertility according to the univariate analysis but not the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Female genital tract infections, but not the comorbidities studied here, are associated with an increased risk of infertility.

Animal models of male genital tract chlamydia infection: An update / 中华男科学杂志

Chlamydia trachomatis infection is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases in males and studies on its pathogenic and immunologic mechanisms are rather limited. Animal models play an important role in studying the pathogenesis, course and treatment of human diseases, and those of male genital tract chlamydial infection are relatively few and not well developed. This article focuses on the chlamydia species, animal species, infection route, infected organ, and infection process of chlamydia, as well as its impact on reproduction, aiming to provide some help for further studies of male genital tract chlamydial infection.

Clinicopathologic evaluation of myofibroblastoma: A study in two hospitals

OBJECTIVE: To report various anatomic locations and clinical characteristics of pathologically proven myofibroblastoma in Koran patients. METHODS: Pathologic reports of patients who underwent surgeries at two centers between April 2003 and March 2016 were retrieved from the electronic medical record system of the hospital. Pathologic reports were included after performing a search using the keyword “myofibroblastoma”. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 11 subjects and included eight female and three male individuals. The patients' ages ranged from 9 to 66 years. Tumors were located in the vagina in three patients and presented in the breast in seven patients. One case presented with an abdominal mass. The tumors ranged in mean size from 4.0 to 53.0 mm. Despite a relatively long-term follow-up, no case had evidence of tumor recurrence. CONCLUSION: We evaluated the various anatomic locations of pathologically proven myofibroblastoma in Korean patients. As an extremely rare tumor, physicians should pay special attention to differential diagnosis. Surgical resection is the preferred method for a cure, and the recurrence rate is extremely low.