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Reproductive Health Sep 2023Recent studies have suggested that genital mycoplasma infections may be associated with male infertility. However, this association remains controversial due to time... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Recent studies have suggested that genital mycoplasma infections may be associated with male infertility. However, this association remains controversial due to time lapse, sample size, and regional prevalence.
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to systematically evaluate the relationship between genital mycoplasma and male infertility through a meta-analysis and to provide a basis for the clinical management of male infertility.
METHODS
We conducted a search on PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and CNKI databases, from January 2000 to June 2023 to identify case-control studies on the interrelationship between genital mycoplasma infection and male infertility. Two independent researchers performed an assessment of the methodological quality of trials according to the Newcastle-Ottawa scale and extracted data strictly based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and afterward, we carried out a meta-analysis using Stata 16.0. Pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to assess this relationship.
RESULTS
This meta-analysis included 21 studies from seven countries with a total of 53025 infertility cases and 6435 controls; the age range of the participating men was from 20 to 59 years old. The results obtained showed a higher prevalence of M. genitalium, M. hominis and U. urealyticum infections in infertile men than in the controls, with the opposite result for U. parvum (M. genitalium, OR, 3.438 [95% CI: 1.780, 6.643], with P = 0.000; M. hominis, OR, 1.840 [95% CI: 1.013, 3.343], with P = 0.045; U. urealyticum, OR, 3.278 [95% CI: 2.075, 5.180], with P = 0.000; U. parvum, OR, 1.671 [95% CI: 0.947, 2.950], with P = 0.077). Further, two subgroup analyses also showed that M. hominis and U. urealyticum infections were strongly associated with male infertility in China (M. hominis, P = 0.009; U. urealyticum, P = 0.000); however, M. hominis and U. urealyticum infection was not strongly associated with male infertility worldwide (M. hominis, P = 0.553; U. urealyticum, P = 0.050).
CONCLUSION
This meta-analysis revealed that male infertility was significantly associated with M. genitalium, M. hominis and U. urealyticum infections, while U. parvum infection was not. Further, our study showed that genital mycoplasma infection influences male infertility and provides a basis for future treatment.
Topics: Male; Humans; Young Adult; Adult; Middle Aged; Infertility, Male; Case-Control Studies; China; Mycoplasma Infections; Genitalia
PubMed: 37700294
DOI: 10.1186/s12978-023-01684-y -
Annals of Clinical Microbiology and... Aug 2023The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of genital pathogens, notably Mycoplasma genitalium and Ureaplasma spp., constitutes a significant global threat... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of genital pathogens, notably Mycoplasma genitalium and Ureaplasma spp., constitutes a significant global threat today. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and trend of changes in MDR mycoplasma and ureaplasma strains.
METHODS
An exhaustive search was performed across the ISI Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases to accumulate relevant studies without restrictions until April 2023. We used event rate and corresponding 95% confidence intervals to determine the frequency of resistance-related mutations and examine the trend of antibiotic resistance changes.
RESULTS
The data from 27 studies, including 24,662 patients across 14 countries, were evaluated. Out of the total studies, 20 focused on M. genitalium infections, and five on Ureaplasma spp. The frequency of resistance-associated mutations to macrolides, tetracyclines, and fluoroquinolones in clinical strains of M. genitalium was 43.5%, 13.1%, and 18.6%, respectively. The prevalence of M. genitalium strains with double resistance and MDR was 11.0% and 17.4%, respectively. The incidence of both double-drug-resistant and MDR strains was higher in the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region than in European and American populations. For Ureaplasma strains, resistance-associated mutations to macrolides, tetracyclines, and fluoroquinolones were 40.8%, 25.7%, and 90.3%, respectively. The rate of antibiotic resistance was higher in the African population compared to the European and WHO Western Pacific Regions. The rate of MDR Ureaplasma infections was 13.2%, with a higher incidence in the African population compared to the WHO Western Pacific and European regions.
CONCLUSION
The proliferation and spread of MDR Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma strains present a significant public health challenge. The situation is indeed alarming, and the rising trend of MDR M. genitalium and MDR Ureaplasma infections suggests that therapies involving macrolides and fluoroquinolones may become less effective.
Topics: Humans; Mycoplasma; Mycoplasma Infections; Ureaplasma Infections; Mycoplasma hominis; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Ureaplasma; Fluoroquinolones; Tetracyclines; Macrolides; Mutation; Prevalence
PubMed: 37563660
DOI: 10.1186/s12941-023-00627-6 -
Cancers Apr 2024Some researchers have speculated that the prostatic microbiome is involved in the development of prostate cancer (PCa) but there is no consensus on certain microbiota in... (Review)
Review
Some researchers have speculated that the prostatic microbiome is involved in the development of prostate cancer (PCa) but there is no consensus on certain microbiota in the prostatic tissue of PCa vs. healthy controls. This systematic review aims to investigate and compare the microbiome of PCa and healthy tissue to determine the microbial association with the pathogenesis of PCa. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus databases. Articles were screened by two independent and blinded reviewers. Literature that compared the prostatic tissue microbiome of patients with PCa with benign controls was included. We found that PCa may be associated with increased , the herpesviridae and families, and , but definitive conclusions cannot be drawn from the existing data. Challenges include the difficulty of obtaining uncontaminated tissue samples and securing tissue from healthy controls. As a result, methods are varied with many studies using cancerous and "healthy" tissue from the same prostate. The organisms chosen for each study were also highly variable, making it difficult to compare studies. These issues have led to lower confidence in our results. Overall, further work is warranted to better understand the implications of the prostatic microbiome in the pathogenesis of PCa.
PubMed: 38672631
DOI: 10.3390/cancers16081549 -
Heliyon Jan 2024Non-viral sexually transmitted infections are known to be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. For these pathogens, standard antenatal screening is not broadly...
INTRODUCTION
Non-viral sexually transmitted infections are known to be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. For these pathogens, standard antenatal screening is not broadly performed in Latin America and the Caribbean. The aim of this study was to comprehensively review the association of non-viral sexually transmitted infections and neonatal outcomes among pregnant women in the region.
METHODS
Four databases (PubMed, Embase, SciELO and LILACS) were examined to identify eligible studies published up to September 2022. English or Spanish cross-sectional, case-control and cohort studies assessing the association of non-viral sexually transmitted infections and adverse pregnancy outcomes were evaluated. Articles were firstly screened by means of title and abstract. Potential articles were fully read and assessed for inclusion according to the eligibility criteria. Snowballing search was performed by screening of bibliographies of the chosen potentially relevant papers. Risk of bias within studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute reviewer's manual.
RESULTS
A selection of 10 out of 9772 search records from five Latin America and the Caribbean countries were included. Six studies associated infection with preterm birth (1/6), history of previous spontaneous abortion (2/6), fetal and infant death (1/6), low birth weight (1/6) and funisitis of the umbilical cord (1/6). Three studies associated infection with preterm birth (2/3), ectopic pregnancy (1/3) and respiratory symptoms on the newborn (1/3). One study associated infection with preterm birth.
CONCLUSION
This review provides evidence on the association of non-viral sexually transmitted infections with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Further investigation is needed to establish more associations between non-viral sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy outcome, especially for , and . Overall, this review calls for more research for public health interventions to promote screening of non-viral sexually transmitted infections during pregnancy, among high-risk population groups of pregnant women living in the region.
PubMed: 38187347
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23338 -
Scientific Reports May 2024The use of self-collected specimens as an alternative to healthcare worker-collected specimens for diagnostic testing has gained increasing attention in recent years.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Accuracy of self-collected versus healthcare worker collected specimens for diagnosing sexually transmitted infections in females: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.
The use of self-collected specimens as an alternative to healthcare worker-collected specimens for diagnostic testing has gained increasing attention in recent years. This systematic review aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of self-collected specimens compared to healthcare worker-collected specimens across different sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), human papillomavirus (HPV), Mycoplasma genitalium (MG), Neisseria gonorrhoea (NG), Treponema pallidum and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) in females. A rigorous process was followed to screen for studies in various electronic databases. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 tool. There were no studies on syphilis that met the criteria for inclusion in the review. A total of six studies for chlamydia, five studies for HPV, four studies for MG, and seven studies for gonorrhoea and trichomoniasis were included in the review. However, not all studies were included in the sub-group meta-analysis. The analysis revealed that self-collected specimens demonstrated comparable diagnostic accuracy to healthcare worker-collected specimens across most STIs. This indicates that the diagnostic accuracy of self-collected specimens can provide accurate results and enhance access to diagnostic testing, potentially improving healthcare service delivery. Future research should further explore the diagnostic accuracy of self-collected specimens in larger and more diverse populations.
Topics: Humans; Female; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Specimen Handling; Health Personnel; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Gonorrhea; Chlamydia trachomatis
PubMed: 38714714
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61358-y