Vaginal bacterial flora activates rat peritoneal mast cells.

Sixteen strains of physiological and pathological vaginal bacteria were tested for their ability to secrete histamine from rat peritoneal mast cells in vitro. We noticed that Mycoplasma hominis-induced histamine release was very high (up to 53.6%). The stimulation of rat mast cells with Staphylococccus cohnii, Staphylococcus coagulase(-) (two strains), Ureaplasma urealyticum, Peptostreptococcus spp., Bacteroides capillosus, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae resulted in lower but significant histamine secretion (11.2%-17.5%). Other bacteria strains (Staphylococcus epidermidids, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Actinomyces naeslundii (two strains) and Lactobacillus fermentum (two strains) caused very low (4.2% - 8.8%) histamine release.

Association between abnormal microbiological flora of the lower genital tract in early pregnancy and socio-economic, demographic and environmental risk factors.

BACKGROUND: The main aim of this study was to determine the socioeconomic, demographic and environmental factors which may be associated with the occurrence of pathological microflora of the lower genital tract in early pregnancy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of 96 pregnant women was selected at random from the patients of 10 district maternity units in the Lodz region of Poland. Only singleton pregnancies below 24 weeks were qualified for inclusion in the survey. A standard questionnaire covering medical, socio-economic, demographic, constitutional, and environmental items was administered to every subject and checked against medical records. Based on microbiological results, two groups of pregnant women were distinguished: Group I, with normal cervicovaginal flora, predominantly Lactobacillus spp. with coagulase-negative staphylococci and viridans streptococci, and Group II, with abnormal flora. The latter included two subgroups: IIA, intermediate microbial flora, dominated by M. hominis, U. urealyticum, G. vaginalis, gram-negative anaerobic rods, Ch. trachomatis, and few Lactobacillus spp, and IIB, highly abnormal flora, containing similar microbial components as in IIB but without Lactobacillus spp. RESULTS: Based on the results of microbiological culturing, 18 (18.7%) of the 96 women examined were classified to Group I, and 78 (81.2%) to Group II: 32 (33.3%) in group IIA and 46 (47.9%) in IIB. Groups IIA and IIB were combined for further analysis. An excessive risk of abnormal vaginal flora was observed in connection with such socio-economic factors as marital status, unemployment, and smoking, Moreover, the first pregnancy was also found to be a potential risk factor for this pathology. The risk of developing abnormal vaginal flora, although exceeding unity for each of these factors, was not considered statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Socio-economic and environmental factors may influence the course and outcome of pregnancy. Pregnant women who present with risk factors for abnormal cervicovaginal microflora should be included in comprehensive prenatal surveillance, which enables early detection and treatment of this pathology.

[The influence of anaerobic bacteria and mycoplasma isolated from the genital tract on mast cell activation]. / Wplyw bakterii beztlenowych i mykoplazm izolowanych z dróg rodnych kobiet na aktywacje mastocytów szczura.

Nowadays, it is known that mast cells, numerously appearing in all organs and being a source of a wide range of mediators and cytokines, are involved both in physiological and pathological processes. The aim of our study was to examine whether vaginal bacteria, especially those participating in Bacterial vaginosis, are able to activate mast cells to mediators secretion. The study was done on rat peritoneal mast cells. The mast cells were incubated in vitro with suspensions of Bacteroides capillosus, Actinomyces naeslundii (2 strains), Peptostreptococcus spp., Lactobacillus fermentum (2 strains), Mycoplasma hominis or Ureaplasma urealyticum killed by temperature. Activation of mast cells was estimated on the basis of histamine release. It was established that M. hominis, U. urealyticum and B. capillosus strongly stimulated rat mast cells to histamine secretion (histamine release 53.0%, 17.4% and 10.0%, respectively). Histamine release induced by Peptostreptococcus spp., A. naeslundii and L. fermentum was lower (at a range of 2.4%-8.2%). The obtained results can suggest that presumably interactions between vaginal bacteria and placental mast cells could influence the course of pregnancy.

[The presence of staphylococci in the vagina of pregnant women]. / Nosicielstwo gronkowców w pochwie kobiet ciezarnych.

We were investigating the colonisation rate as well as the quantity of staphylococci in the vagina of women with physiological and complicated pregnancy. We have found high frequency of staphylococci (coagulase-negative and/or coagulase-positive). Vaginal carriage rate amount 90%. According to our results neither the presence nor the quantity of these microorganisms were related to the presence or the number of lactobacilli, among them to the hydrogen peroxide producing ones. We have also assumed that neither colonisation nor the quantity of staphylococci have any influence on the course of pregnancy.