Mycobacterial genital infections and female infertility

ABSTRACT

Eighty female patients with infertility due to tubal factor [whether primary or secondary] diagnosed on clinical, laboratory, radiological, and laparoscopic bases, were studied for mycobacterial infections of the fallopian tubes and the endometrium using microbiological and histopathological methods. Nine strains of genus mycobacteria were isolated from 9 cases of the studied group [11.25%]. Isolated mycobacterial strains were found to be 6 Mycobacterium tuberculosis, 2 Mycobacterium bovis and the last one was found to be atypical mycobacterium. The isolated 8 strains of tubercule bacilli were sensitive at least to 3 of the following drugs Rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol, streptomycin and paraaminosalysilic acid [PAS] respectively. The atypical strain of the mycobacteria was resistant to the mentioned drugs. From 12 histopathological samples showing granulomas suggestive of tuberculosis; 8 mycobacterial strains were isolated whereas no histopathological findings were detected in the case from whom atypical strain was isolated