Association of genitourinary infections and cervical length with preterm childbirth

A prospective cohort study was conducted on a convenience sample of 1370 pregnant women with a gestational age of 20 to 25 weeks in the city of Ribeirão Preto. Data on obstetrical history, maternal age, parity, smoking habit, and a history of preterm delivery was collected with the application of a sociodemographic questionnaire. Cervical length was determined by endovaginal ultrasound, and urine and vaginal content samples were obtained to determine urinary tract infection (UTI) and bacterial vaginosis (BV), respectively. The aim of this study was to verify the association of cervical length and genitourinary infections with preterm birth (PTB). Ultrasound showed no association of UTI or BV with short cervical length. PTB rate was 9.63%. Among the women with PTB, 15 showed UTI (RR: 1.55, 95%CI: 0.93-2.58), 19 had BV (RR: 1.22, 95%CI: 0.77-1.94), and one had both UTI and BV (RR: 0.85, 95%CI: 0.13-5.62). Nineteen (14.4%) PTB occurred in women with a cervical length ≤2.5 cm (RR: 2.89, 95%CI: 1.89-4.43). Among the 75 patients with PTB stratified as spontaneous, 10 showed UTI (RR: 2.02, 95%CI: 1.05-3.86) and 14 had a diagnosis of BV (RR: 1.72, 95%CI: 0.97-3.04). A short cervical length between 20 and 25 weeks of pregnancy was associated with PTB, whereas UTI and BV determined at this age were not associated with short cervical length or with PTB, although UTI, even if asymptomatic, was related to spontaneous PTB.

Detección de Mycoplasma genitalium y correlación con manifestaciones clínicas en una población del estado Zulia, Venezuela / Mycoplasma genitalium detection and correlation with clinical manifestations in population of the Zulia State, Venezuela

Diverse studies demonstrate an association between Mycoplasma genitalium and urogenital pathologies. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of M. genitalium in patients attending gynecological evaluation in private clinics (n = 172). DNA amplification assays of the genes 16S rRNA and MgPa were utilized. The prevalence of M. genitalium in the study population was 7.5 percent. M. genitalium was detected in 12.1 percent and 4.1 percent of the symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, respectively (p = 0.047). The infection was diagnosed in patients with cervicitis (17.2 percent) and mucopurulent secretion (16.6 percent) and the highest prevalence of infections was registered in the 31-40 years age group. No significant association between the presence of M.genitalium and individual clinical manifestations or the patients age was showed (p > 0.05). The high prevalence of M. genitalium infections, mostly in patients with clinical manifestations showed in this study, warrants the application of diagnostic strategies in the population to investigate the clinical meaning of these microorganisms and to reevaluate therapeutic schemes against non-gonococcal and non-chlamydial infections.

Diversos estudios demuestran una asociación entre Mycoplasma genitalium y patologías urogenitales. El objetivo de este trabajo fue investigar la prevalencia de infecciones por M. genitalium en pacientes atendidas en clínicas privadas (n = 172). Se utilizaron ensayos de amplificación de genes 16S rARN y MgPa. La prevalencia de M. genitalium en esta población fue 7,5 por ciento. Mycoplasma genitalium fue detectado en 12,1 y 4,1 por ciento) de las pacientes sintomáticas y asintomáticas, respectivamente (p = 0,047). La infección se diagnosticó en pacientes con cervicitis (17,2 por ciento) y con secreción mucopurulenta (16,6 por ciento) y la mayor prevalencia de infecciones se registró en el grupo etario de 31 a 40 años. No se encontró asociación significativa entre la presencia de M. genitalium y manifestaciones clínicas individuales o edad de las pacientes (p > 0,05). La alta prevalencia de infecciones por M. genitalium, principalmente en pacientes con manifestaciones clínicas demostrada en este estudio, demanda la aplicación de estrategias diagnósticas en la población para investigar el significado clínico de estos microorganismos y reevaluar esquemas terapéuticos contra infecciones no gonocóccicas y no clamidiales.

Age and marital distributions of genitourinary candidiasis among symptomatic women in Nigeria

Candida-positive genital specimens [n=585] examined by direct mount wet preparation, consisting of/ugh vaginal swabs [83%,], endocervical swabs [/4%,] and urine [2.9%,] collected from symptomatic female genitourinary candidiasis patients attending hospitals and medical laboratories in seven Nigerian cities. Age and marital status of each patient were documented at time of specimen collection. Each specimen was then cultured on Sabouraud Glucose Agar at 37°C for 48 hours and examined under X40 power of a light microscope. Candida species were further identified by the CHROM Agar method. Results showed that the married accounted for 55.1% of cases while 44.9% were unmarried. Among the married the age group 26-30 years had the highest occurrence of 25.8% [significant atp0.05]. Fifteen-twenty years age group had 1.1% while 41 years plus were represented by 0.8%. The unmarried were represented by 10.3% in the age group 15-20 years. The married also had higher occurrences in all the seven cities though the differences were insignificant. Marital factor seems to play a role in the distribution of genitourinary candidiasis in the most vulnerable age group