Fast and effective paper based sensor for self-diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis.

In this contribution we present a sensitive colorimetric bioactive paper fabricated to determine sialidase-related diseases like bacterial vaginosis (BV) in a one-step and dry format spot assay with fast response and good storage stability. The paper was prepared by three simple steps. The first step involves preparation of poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) microcapsules, the second step is to incubate positively charged microcapsules in negatively charged 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-a-D-N-acetylneuraminic acid (BCIN) solution, a color enhancer nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT), and in the third step, paper was fabricated by incorporating incubated microcapsules into paper pulp. This paper changes color from white to dark purple in the presence of sialidase in as little as 6min, and color could be enhanced with increased length of reaction time. In this reaction system, BCIN was the substrate for sialidase, NBT was the color enhancer, and PEI microcapsules acted as catalyst. The loading efficiency of BCIN was about 22.2%, and filtered BCIN solution could be reused for the next fabrication.

Variation in vaginal immune parameters and microbial hydrolytic enzymes in bacterial vaginosis positive pregnant women with and without Mobiluncus species.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to assess if levels of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-8, sialidase, prolidase and immunoglobulin A against Gardenerella vaginalis hemolysin (anti-Gvh IgA) in vaginal secretions differ between BV+ women with (M+) and without (M-) Mobiluncus spp. STUDY DESIGN: Vaginal secretions were obtained from 265 women at their first prenatal care visit and assessed for all study parameters. Gram stain evaluation using Nugent criteria was performed and coinfection with sexually transmitted infections determined. Differences between BV+/M+ and BV+/M- women were evaluated using the chi2 statistic or Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: Of the 265 BV+ women, 43% (n = 113) were M+ of which 97% (n = 110) had Nugent scores of 9 or 10 . BV+/M+ women had elevated levels of sialidase (median value: 4.11 nmol vs 1.91 nmol of converted substrate; P = .003) but no difference in prolidase, anti-Gvh IgA, IL-1beta, IL-8, levels were found between the two groups. BV+/M- women had significantly higher rates of coinfection with Trichomonas vaginalis. CONCLUSION: BV+/M+ women have higher vaginal concentrations of sialidase and lower rates of T. vaginalis compared with BV+/M- women. Further research is needed to assess the association of this, and other, microbiologic profiles to risk of adverse pregnancy outcome.