Molecular investigation of menstrual tissue for the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis collected by women with a history of infertility
- 7 October 2013
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research
- Vol. 40 (1), 237-242
- https://doi.org/10.1111/jog.12165
Abstract
At present, routine laboratory investigation of the infectious agents implicated in female genital infections is mainly based on culture/direct fluorescence antibody (DFA) (immunofluorescence antibody test) results of cervicovaginal secretions. In this study the use of the menstrual tissue is introduced for the molecular detection of pathogens which are implicated in female infertility. Cervicovaginal secretions and menstrual tissue samples of 87 women (mean age 34.07 ± 5.17) experiencing infertility problems were screened for Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis presence using polymerase chain reaction (PCR, light cycler-PCR). Cervicovaginal secretions were also tested by the culture/DFA technique. The results were compared using the binomial test. In the overall study group, the prevalence of C. trachomatis was 25.3%, 18.3%, and 13.8%, the prevalence of U. urealyticum was 18.3%, 16.09% and 12.6% and the prevalence of M. hominis was 13.7%, 19.5% and 8.0% in the menstrual tissue, cervicovaginal secretions using PCR and cervicovaginal secretions culture/DFA, respectively. A statistically significant difference was revealed between the two methods for all three microbes and between menstrual tissue and cervicovaginal secretions PCR for chlamydia. The use of menstrual tissue along with the PCR method seems to be an effective and thus novel alternative for the investigation of the infectious agents lying in the genital tract. One of the main advantages of this technique compared to cervicovaginal secretions is that it is non-invasive and the sample can be collected at home, thus allowing the early detection and treatment of a condition that can otherwise lead to serious consequences, such as tubal obstruction, pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous abortions and unexplained infertility.Keywords
Funding Information
- LOCUS MEDICUS S.A.
This publication has 41 references indexed in Scilit:
- Role ofChlamydia trachomatisin MiscarriageEmerging Infectious Diseases, 2011
- Ureaplasma urealyticum, Ureaplasma parvum, Mycoplasma hominis and Mycoplasma genitalium infections and semen quality of infertile menBMC Infectious Diseases, 2007
- Recent trends in the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections in the European UnionSexually Transmitted Infections, 2004
- A systematic review of the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis among European womenHuman Reproduction Update, 2002
- Evaluation of a Modified Sanitary Napkin as a Sample Self-Collection Device for the Detection of Genital Chlamydial Infection in WomenJournal of Clinical Microbiology, 2001
- Is Mycoplasma hominis a vaginal pathogen?Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2001
- Screening for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia by DNA Amplification in Adolescents Attending Middle School Health CentersSexually Transmitted Diseases, 1998
- Comparison of polymerase chain reaction assay with culture for detection of genital mycoplasmas in perinatal infectionsEuropean Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, 1998
- Cytomegalovirus infection and viral shedding in the genital tract of infertile couplesJournal of Medical Virology, 1995
- Triple-culture Tests for Diagnosis of Chlamydial Infection of the Female Genital TractSexually Transmitted Diseases, 1985