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International Journal of Systematic... Oct 1999Phenotypic and phylogenetic studies were performed on a hitherto undescribed micro-organism isolated from the human vagina. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies...
Phenotypic and phylogenetic studies were performed on a hitherto undescribed micro-organism isolated from the human vagina. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies demonstrated that the unknown strain constituted a new subline within the genus Atopobium. The unknown bacterium was readily distinguished from other Atopobium species by biochemical tests and electrophoretic analysis of whole-cell proteins. Based on phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown bacterium be classified as Atopobium vaginae sp. nov. The type strain of Atopobium vaginae is CCUG 38953T.
Topics: Actinobacteria; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Female; Genes, rRNA; Humans; Molecular Sequence Data; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Vagina
PubMed: 10555338
DOI: 10.1099/00207713-49-4-1573 -
Sexually Transmitted Diseases Nov 2006The objectives of this study was to determine the prevalence of Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae in virginal women and to establish if nonpenetrative sexual...
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study was to determine the prevalence of Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae in virginal women and to establish if nonpenetrative sexual activity is associated with these organisms.
GOAL
The goal of this study was to assess prevalence of G. vaginalis and A. vaginae in virginal women.
STUDY DESIGN
Forty-four virginal female patients self-collected tampon specimens, which were tested for G. vaginalis and A. vaginae by polymerase chain reaction, and provided either brief or detailed information regarding sexual practices by self-administered questionnaire.
RESULTS
Twenty women (45%) had G. vaginalis and 3 (7%) A. vaginae detected. Among the 27 who provided detailed information, 12 (46%) had G. vaginalis and none had A. vaginae detected. G. vaginalis was significantly more likely to be detected in those who had participated in oral sex (odds ratio = 22; 95% confidence interval = 2.2-222) and hand-genital contact without penetration (P = 0.02), but not genital-genital contact.
CONCLUSION
This study shows that nonpenetrative intimate sexual contact is associated with carriage of G. vaginalis in virginal women.
Topics: Actinobacteria; Adolescent; Adult; DNA, Bacterial; Female; Gardnerella vaginalis; Humans; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Prevalence; Self Administration; Sexual Behavior; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vaginal Smears; Vaginosis, Bacterial; Victoria
PubMed: 16601662
DOI: 10.1097/01.olq.0000216161.42272.be -
Sexually Transmitted Infections Nov 2016Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is characterised by a change in the microbial composition of the vagina. The BV-associated organisms outnumber the health-associated species...
OBJECTIVES
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is characterised by a change in the microbial composition of the vagina. The BV-associated organisms outnumber the health-associated species and form a polymicrobial biofilm on the vaginal epithelium, possibly explaining the difficulties with antibiotic treatment. A better understanding of vaginal biofilm with emphasis on and may contribute to a better diagnosis and treatment of BV.
METHODS
To this purpose, we evaluated the association between the presence of both bacteria by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) and BV by Nugent scoring in 463 vaginal slides of 120 participants participating in a clinical trial in Rwanda.
RESULTS
A bacterial biofilm was detected in half of the samples using a universal bacterial probe. The biofilm contained in 54.1% and in 82.0% of the samples. was accompanied by in 99.5% of samples. The odds of having a Nugent score above 4 were increased for samples with dispersed and/or present (OR 4.5; CI 2 to 10.3). The probability of having a high Nugent score was even higher when a combination of adherent and dispersed was visualised (OR 75.6; CI 13.3 to 429.5) and highest when both bacteria were part of the biofilm (OR 119; CI 39.9 to 360.8).
CONCLUSIONS
Our study, although not comprehensive at studying the polymicrobial biofilm in BV, provided a strong indication towards the importance of and the symbiosis of and in this biofilm.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
NCT01796613.
PubMed: 26965870
DOI: 10.1136/sextrans-2015-052475 -
Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease Apr 2012The purpose of this study was to test the correlation of the amount of Atopobium vaginae with the most commonly used markers for bacterial vaginosis (BV).
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to test the correlation of the amount of Atopobium vaginae with the most commonly used markers for bacterial vaginosis (BV).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We enrolled 103 nonpregnant and premenopausal women that were positive for BV by Amsel criteria and with a Nugent score higher than 3. All women were negative for yeast, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. A. vaginae concentration was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction from samples of vaginal rinsings with 2 mL of sterile saline.
RESULTS
There was no difference in the median values of A. vaginae concentration when comparing samples with presence or absence of each individual Amsel criterion. In the case of a higher pH cutoff value of 4.9, greater amounts of this microorganism (p = .02) were found. In addition, correlation tests showed that A. vaginae concentration is positively correlated with pH (p < .001) and with Nugent scores (p = .003).
CONCLUSIONS
The quantification of A. vaginae is useful for identification of the most severe cases of BV.
Topics: Actinobacteria; Adolescent; Adult; Bacterial Load; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Vagina; Vaginosis, Bacterial; Young Adult
PubMed: 22371042
DOI: 10.1097/LGT.0b013e31823c79c4 -
Obstetrics and Gynecology Jan 2010To estimate the relationship between vaginal quantification of the main microorganisms related with bacterial vaginosis and the risk of preterm delivery among women with...
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the relationship between vaginal quantification of the main microorganisms related with bacterial vaginosis and the risk of preterm delivery among women with preterm labor.
METHODS
Molecular methods were used to prospectively quantify Lactobacillus species, Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae, and Mycoplasma hominis in vaginal fluid samples from women admitted for spontaneous preterm labor with intact membranes from July 2007 through July 2008. The primary outcome measure was the relationship between bacterial concentration at admission and preterm delivery, before 37 weeks of gestation. Sensitivity and specificity of molecular cutoff values and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the University of British Columbia Bayesian Calculator type 2.
RESULTS
Of the 90 women included, 36 delivered before 37 weeks of gestation (40%). Preterm delivery was not associated with the presence of Lactobacillus species, G vaginalis, A vaginae, or M hominis. In contrast, molecular quantification detected high concentrations of A vaginae (10(6)/mL or more: 25.0% in the preterm group and 9.3% in the term group, P=.04) and G vaginalis (10(7)/mL or more: 16.7% and 3.7%, P=.03) more often in women with preterm deliveries compared with term deliveries. Moreover, high vaginal concentrations of these two microorganisms together were associated with a significantly (P=.03) shorter interval between preterm labor and delivery (46 days, 95% CI 30-61) than were lower concentrations (85 days, 95% CI 75-95). The hazard ratio for a short preterm labor-to-delivery interval was three times higher for high vaginal fluid concentrations of A vaginae and G vaginalis than for lower concentrations (hazard ratio 3.3, 95% CI 1.1-9.5, P=.03).
CONCLUSION
The risk of preterm delivery is significantly associated with high vaginal concentrations of A vaginae and G vaginalis in women with preterm labor.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00484653.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
III.
Topics: Actinobacteria; Colony Count, Microbial; Female; Gardnerella vaginalis; Humans; Obstetric Labor, Premature; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Proportional Hazards Models; Sensitivity and Specificity; Vagina; Vaginosis, Bacterial
PubMed: 20027045
DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181c391d7 -
International Journal of Gynaecology... Feb 2014
Topics: Actinobacteria; Adult; Female; Gardnerella vaginalis; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections; Humans; Portugal; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Vagina; Vaginosis, Bacterial; Young Adult
PubMed: 24268352
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2013.08.008 -
Seminars in Cancer Biology Nov 2022Gynecologic cancers, starting in the reproductive organs of females, include cancer of cervix, endometrium, ovary commonly and vagina and vulva rarely. The changes in... (Review)
Review
Gynecologic cancers, starting in the reproductive organs of females, include cancer of cervix, endometrium, ovary commonly and vagina and vulva rarely. The changes in the composition of microbiome in gut and vagina affect immune and metabolic signaling of the host cells resulting in chronic inflammation, angiogenesis, cellular proliferation, genome instability, epithelial barrier breach and metabolic dysregulation that may lead to the onset or aggravated progression of gynecologic cancers. While microbiome in gynecologic cancers is just at horizon, certain significant microbiome signature associations have been found. Cervical cancer is accompanied with high loads of human papillomavirus, Fusobacteria and Sneathia species; endometrial cancer is reported to have presence of Atopobium vaginae and Porphyromonas species and significantly elevated levels of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes phylum bacteria, with Chlamydia trachomatis, Lactobacillus and Mycobacterium reported in ovarian cancer. Balancing microbiome composition in gynecologic cancers has the potential to be used as a therapeutic target. For example, the Lactobacillus species may play an important role in blocking adhesions of incursive pathogens to vaginal epithelium by lowering the pH, producing bacteriocins and employing competitive exclusions. The optimum or personalized balance of the microbiota can be maintained using pre- and probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantations loaded with specific bacteria. Current evidence strongly suggest that a healthy microbiome can train and trigger the body's immune response to attack various gynecologic cancers. Furthermore, microbiome modulations can potentially contribute to improvements in immuno-oncology therapies.
Topics: Humans; Female; Vagina; Lactobacillus; Microbiota; Genital Neoplasms, Female; Probiotics
PubMed: 34302959
DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.07.013 -
BioMed Research International 2017The purpose of this study was to (i) determine the cervical microbial composition in different abortion samples and to (ii) investigate the correlation between...
The purpose of this study was to (i) determine the cervical microbial composition in different abortion samples and to (ii) investigate the correlation between spontaneous abortion and cervical microbes in Korean women. We collected cervical swabs from women who had never undergone abortion ( = 36), had spontaneous abortion ( = 23), and had undergone induced abortion ( = 88) and subjected those samples to 16S rRNA pyrosequencing. Further, factor analysis and correlation between cervical microbiota and spontaneous abortion were evaluated by logistic regression analysis. In spontaneous abortion women, 16 S rRNA gene sequences showed significant increases in , spp., , , and compared to women in nonabortion group. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, (OD = 11.27; 95% = 1.57-81) (OD = 11.47; 95% = 1.22-107.94), (OD = 6.89; 95% = 1.07-44.33), and factor 1 microbes (OD = 16.4; 95% = 1.88-42.5) were strongly associated with spontaneous abortion. This study showed a high prevalence of , and factor 1 microbes in spontaneous abortion and association with spontaneous abortion in Korean women.
Topics: Abortion, Spontaneous; Actinobacteria; Adult; Aged; Cervix Uteri; Female; Humans; Leptotrichia; Middle Aged; Pregnancy; Prevalence; Prospective Studies; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Republic of Korea; Vagina; Vaginosis, Bacterial; Young Adult
PubMed: 29479540
DOI: 10.1155/2017/5435089 -
Clinical Microbiology and Infection :... May 2010Bacterial vaginosis is a polymicrobial syndrome. The most important marker for bacterial vaginosis is the presence of Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae. In...
Bacterial vaginosis is a polymicrobial syndrome. The most important marker for bacterial vaginosis is the presence of Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae. In this study, the in vitro susceptibilities to metronidazole and secnidazole of 16 strains of A. vaginae were tested with the agar dilution method. We observed an MIC range for metronidazole of 4-64 mg/L (MIC(50), 8 mg/L; MIC(90), 32 mg/L) and an MIC range for secnidazole of 4-128 mg/L (MIC(50), 16 mg/L; MIC(90), 64 mg/L). According to these findings, we can conclude that the activity of secnidazole is similar to that of metronidazole.
Topics: Actinobacteria; Antiprotozoal Agents; Female; Humans; Metronidazole; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Vaginosis, Bacterial
PubMed: 19548924
DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2009.02852.x -
PloS One 2015Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition defined by increased vaginal discharge without significant inflammation, is characterized by a change in the bacterial composition...
Unravelling the Bacterial Vaginosis-Associated Biofilm: A Multiplex Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Assay Using Peptide Nucleic Acid Probes.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition defined by increased vaginal discharge without significant inflammation, is characterized by a change in the bacterial composition of the vagina. Lactobacillus spp., associated with a healthy vaginal microbiome, are outnumbered by BV-associated organisms. These bacteria could form a polymicrobial biofilm which allows them to persist in spite of antibiotic treatment. In this study, we examined the presence of Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae in vaginal biofilms using Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) probes targeting these bacteria. For this purpose, we developed three new PNA probes for A. vaginae. The most specific A. vaginae probe, AtoITM1, was selected and then used in an assay with two existing probes, Gard162 and BacUni-1, to evaluate multiplex FISH on clinical samples. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) as the gold standard, we demonstrated a sensitivity of 66.7% (95% confidence interval: 54.5% - 77.1%) and a specificity of 89.4% (95% confidence interval: 76.1% - 96%) of the new AtoITM1 probe. FISH enabled us to show the presence of a polymicrobial biofilm in bacterial vaginosis, in which Atopobium vaginae is part of a Gardnerella vaginalis-dominated biofilm. We showed that the presence of this biofilm is associated with high bacterial loads of A. vaginae and G. vaginalis.
Topics: Actinobacteria; Biofilms; Female; Gardnerella vaginalis; Humans; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Nucleic Acid Probes; Peptide Nucleic Acids; Vagina; Vaginosis, Bacterial
PubMed: 26305575
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136658