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European Journal of Clinical... Dec 2023Ureaplasma species are common pathogens of the urogenital tract and can cause a range of diseases. Unfortunately, there is still a scarcity of large-scale and...
BACKGROUND
Ureaplasma species are common pathogens of the urogenital tract and can cause a range of diseases. Unfortunately, there is still a scarcity of large-scale and cross-sectional studies on the prevalence of Ureaplasma species in China to clarify their epidemic patterns.
METHODS
This study retrospectively analyzed the data of 18667 patients who visited Peking Union Medical College Hospital for showing various symptoms of (suspected) Ureaplasma species infection during the period 2013-2022. The overall prevalence of Ureaplasma species was calculated, and subgroup analyses were conducted in view of gender, age, specimen types, and diagnosis in every year within the period studied. Furthermore, previous literature that reported on the prevalence of Ureaplasma species in various regions of China was searched and summarized.
RESULTS
The overall positive rate of Ureaplasma species in this study reached 42.1% (7861/18667). Specifically, the prevalence of Ureaplasma species was significantly higher in female patients, while the highest detection rate was found in the 21-50 age group. From 2013 to 2022, there were no significant differences in positive rates of Ureaplasma species among years. However, the detection rate of Ureaplasma species was decreased in COVID-19 period (2020-2022) compared to pre-COVID-19 period (2017-2019). In view of the distribution of patients, outpatients predominated, but the detection rate was lower than inpatients. Urine was the most common specimen type, while cervical swabs had the highest detection rate of Ureaplasma species. When grouped by diagnosis, the highest positive rate of Ureaplasma species was seen in patients with adverse pregnancy outcomes and the lowest rate in patients with prostate disease. The previous literature, although heterogeneous, collectively suggested a high prevalence of Ureaplasma species in China.
CONCLUSIONS
Our study has shown that Ureaplasma species have reached a significant prevalence in China and demands adequate attention.
Topics: Male; Pregnancy; Humans; Female; Ureaplasma; Retrospective Studies; Prevalence; Tertiary Care Centers; Cross-Sectional Studies; Mycoplasma Infections; Mycoplasma hominis; COVID-19; Ureaplasma Infections; Ureaplasma urealyticum
PubMed: 37843646
DOI: 10.1007/s10096-023-04678-7 -
Revue Medicale Suisse Oct 2023Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and Ureaplasma parvum are bacteria commonly found in the urogenital tract. However, their pathogenicity in sexually active or... (Review)
Review
Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and Ureaplasma parvum are bacteria commonly found in the urogenital tract. However, their pathogenicity in sexually active or obstetrical patients remains controversial. Therefore, determining the significance of screening and treatment for these organisms is challenging, unlike Mycoplasma genitalium which now has well-defined management guidelines. We conducted a review of the literature to clarify the clinical significance of detecting these micro-organisms. It is crucial to carefully select the few cases that warrant further investigations, in order to mitigate the risks of overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
Topics: Humans; Ureaplasma urealyticum; Ureaplasma; Mycoplasma hominis; Mycoplasma Infections; Mycoplasma genitalium
PubMed: 37819180
DOI: 10.53738/REVMED.2023.19.845.1835 -
Journal of Global Antimicrobial... Dec 2023Mycoplasma hominis, an opportunistic pathogen of the human lower urogenital tract, can survive and replicate within the protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis, establishing an...
Patterns of antibiotic resistance of Mycoplasma hominis endosymbiont of Trichomonas vaginalis and the influence of bacterial intracellular location on drug susceptibility.
OBJECTIVES
Mycoplasma hominis, an opportunistic pathogen of the human lower urogenital tract, can survive and replicate within the protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis, establishing an endosymbiotic relationship. The intracellular location may provide a means for the bacteria to evade the immune system and protection from antimicrobial activities. Our aim was to investigate the influence of the endosymbiotic association of M. hominis with trichomonad cells on bacterial antibiotic susceptibility.
METHODS
We evaluated antibiotic resistance patterns in a group of M. hominis isolated from T. vaginalis clinical specimens as well as in M. hominis isolated from patients without trichomoniasis. Using an experimental model system, we compared the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and lethal concentration (MLC) of tetracycline on M. hominis endosymbionts of T. vaginalis and extracellular bacteria.
RESULTS
The incidence rate of M. hominis strains resistant to C14 and C15 macrolide antibiotics was higher in intracellular strains associated with T. vaginalis compared with extracellular bacteria isolated from women not affected by trichomoniasis. However, sensitivity to tetracycline and quinolones was similar in both groups. In vitro experiments demonstrated that M. hominis strains, when isolated as endosymbionts from T. vaginalis, exhibited reduced sensitivity to tetracycline when cultured extracellularly for at least eight weeks.
CONCLUSION
The intracellular localization of bacteria within trichomonad cells may affect antibiotic susceptibility.
Topics: Humans; Female; Trichomonas vaginalis; Metronidazole; Mycoplasma hominis; Trichomonas Infections; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Bacteria; Tetracyclines
PubMed: 37816433
DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2023.09.021 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2023The protozoan parasite is the most common cellular sexually transmitted disease in humans, and the closely related species is an avian parasite of ecological and...
INTRODUCTION
The protozoan parasite is the most common cellular sexually transmitted disease in humans, and the closely related species is an avian parasite of ecological and economic importance. Phylogenetic evidence suggests arose during bird to human transmission of a -like ancestor. shares a strong clinical association with the independent sexually transmitted pathogen (formerly ) , and the uncultured bacterium " Malacoplasma (formerly ) girerdii," with the latter association being an order of magnitude stronger. Both bacterial species have been shown to profoundly influence growth, energy production and virulence-associated mechanisms.
METHODS
Evidence for a novel sp. was discovered by Illumina metatranscriptomics sequencing of the -infected pigeon mouth. We leveraged published 16S rDNA profiling data from digestive tract of 12 healthy and 24 -infected pigeons to investigate association between the novel sp. and . We utilised Illumina metagenomics sequencing targeted to pigeon oral and crop samples infected with the novel sp. to generate its full-length genome sequence. Sequence similarity network analysis was used to compare annotated proteins from the novel sp. with a range of other related species.
RESULTS
Here we present evidence for a novel species, related to " M. girerdii," that is strongly associated with in the upper digestive tract of domestic pigeons. Analysis of the genome sequence revealed gene features apparently specific to a -symbiotic lineage.
DISCUSSION
These data support a model of long-term association between and spp. that has been conserved across diversification of the lineage and the host species barrier from birds to human.
PubMed: 37808290
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1242275 -
The Journal of Heart and Lung... Jan 2024Urogenital Mollicutes, that is, Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma spp., can colonize the urogenital tract. While urogenital colonization is frequent, infections are rare... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Urogenital Mollicutes, that is, Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma spp., can colonize the urogenital tract. While urogenital colonization is frequent, infections are rare but should not be missed. Furthermore, extragenital infections are even rarer. Over the past years, they have been increasingly documented as a cause of hyperammonemia syndrome (HS) and post-surgical infections. We review the literature on studies focused on post-surgical infections and HS involving urogenital Mollicutes after thoracic surgery including lung (LTR) and heart (HTR) transplantation.
METHODS
A systematic review was performed by searching PubMed/Medline case reports, case series, cohort studies, and clinical trials. Cases of infections and HS by urogenital Mollicutes after HTR and LTR transplantations were reported.
RESULTS
Overall, urogenital Mollicutes were associated with 15 HS, 31 infections in HTR and LTR, and 18 post-thoracic surgical infections in another context. Post-surgical infections were reported in all contexts. They were mainly due to M hominis, the only species that could cultivate on standard enriched agar forming pinpoint colonies after 3-5 days of incubation. Microbiologists should be prompted to pinpoint colonies even if the examination of Gram-staining is negative. The patients' management required surgical treatment and antimicrobials, almost always tetracyclines and/or fluoroquinolones. Conversely, HS occurred almost exclusively in bilateral LTR and is more likely due to Ureaplasma spp. As Ureaplasma spp. do not cultivate on standard media, the microbiological diagnosis was performed using molecular methods.
CONCLUSIONS
Infections involving urogenital Mollicute should be considered in LTR with HS. The overall rate of mortality is high and might be due in part to delay in etiologic diagnosis. Post-surgical infections were reported in all contexts. The route of contamination with Mollicutes remains unknown in HTR and non-transplant surgery, but evidence of transmission from donors has been documented for LTR.
Topics: Humans; Thoracic Surgery; Tenericutes; Ureaplasma; Heart Transplantation; Lung
PubMed: 37797819
DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2023.09.023 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2023is a pathogenic protozoan diffused worldwide capable of infecting the urogenital tract in humans, causing trichomoniasis. One of its most intriguing aspects is the... (Review)
Review
is a pathogenic protozoan diffused worldwide capable of infecting the urogenital tract in humans, causing trichomoniasis. One of its most intriguing aspects is the ability to establish a close relationship with endosymbiotic microorganisms: the unique association of with the bacterium represents, to date, the only example of an endosymbiosis involving two true human pathogens. Since its discovery, several aspects of the symbiosis between and have been characterized, demonstrating that the presence of the intracellular guest strongly influences the pathogenic characteristics of the protozoon, making it more aggressive towards host cells and capable of stimulating a stronger proinflammatory response. The recent description of a further symbiont of the protozoon, the newly discovered non-cultivable mycoplasma Mycoplasma girerdii, makes the picture even more complex. This review provides an overview of the main aspects of this complex microbial consortium, with particular emphasis on its effect on protozoan pathobiology and on the interplays among the symbionts.
PubMed: 37764891
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12091083 -
BMC Women's Health Sep 2023The female genital ulcer is a manifestation of many diseases, which may vary depending on the etiology, disease duration, age, and host immunity. A middle-aged (40-50...
The female genital ulcer is a manifestation of many diseases, which may vary depending on the etiology, disease duration, age, and host immunity. A middle-aged (40-50 years) woman had a 4-month history of vaginal bleeding. The results of syphilis, herpes, the cervical cancer, tuberculosis, and fungi or acute cervical inflammation caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma hominis were negative through the blood test and the biopsy. Cervical discharge culture revealed positive for group B Streptococcus and bacterial vaginosis. The patient was treated with oral antibiotics for 7 days. One month later, repeat colposcopy revealed a smooth cervix and complete ulcer disappearance, while cervical discharge culture retested no group B Streptococcus and bacterial vaginosis. The patient was diagnosed with cervical ulcer. Complete medical history taking and bacterial culture of cervical discharge are important for identifying the etiology of the cervical ulcer and deciding the appropriate treatment for the disease.
Topics: Middle Aged; Female; Humans; Cervix Uteri; Vaginosis, Bacterial; Ulcer; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; Streptococcus
PubMed: 37759233
DOI: 10.1186/s12905-023-02665-w -
Biomedical Reports Oct 2023The purpose of the present study was to assess the prevalence of (), () and () in a Romanian population considering the presence or absence of genital symptoms....
The purpose of the present study was to assess the prevalence of (), () and () in a Romanian population considering the presence or absence of genital symptoms. Urethral and vaginal samples were collected from patients presenting at 'Ponderas' Academic Hospital (Bucharest, Romania) from January 2021 to December 2021. A total of 266 samples were obtained from two groups of patients: Symptomatic subjects with urethritis, prostatitis, vaginitis or both urethritis and prostatitis (n=59; 22%), and asymptomatic subjects (n=207; 78%). and kits were used to assess the presence of and , and , respectively. The symptomatic subjects comprised 27 patients with urethritis symptoms, of whom 4 (15%) were infected with and 1 (4%) was infected with . In addition, 23 (9%) of the patients had prostatitis-like symptoms, which in 3 (13%) of the patients was associated with and in 1 patient (4%) was associated with . None of the symptomatic patients were infected with . By contrast, 29 (14%) of the asymptomatic patients were discovered to be infected with , 13 (6%) were coinfected with both Mollicutes and 4 (2%) were infected with ; only 1 patient was positive for alone. Two patients (14%) who presented with and coinfection were also infected with . No patient with or alone was also positive for . Therefore, the most frequently identified pathogen populating the genital tract in both males and females was , followed by coinfection with and , and . As these infections are asymptomatic in numerous cases, this suggests that a thorough screening should be mandatory.
PubMed: 37746588
DOI: 10.3892/br.2023.1656 -
BMJ Open Sep 2023
PubMed: 37739477
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-062990corr1 -
Asian Journal of Andrology Jan 2024Recently discovered microcolonial forms of Mycoplasma hominis ( M. hominis ) and their impact on human spermatogenesis are studied. The spermatozoa of 125 fertile men...
Recently discovered microcolonial forms of Mycoplasma hominis ( M. hominis ) and their impact on human spermatogenesis are studied. The spermatozoa of 125 fertile men (sperm donors; from Reprobank [Reproductive Tissue Bank, Moscow, Russia]) and of 93 patients with fertility problems (from the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Research Centre for Medical Genetics [RCMG]", Moscow, Russia) were used. Classical colonies of M. hominis and microcolonies were detected by molecular biological methods, culture of bacteria, and transmission electron microscopy. The unique structure of microcolonial cells, in which the cytoplasmic cylinder is surrounded by concentric electron-dense and electron-light layers with a periodicity of 12-14 nm, and the ability of microcolonial cells to attach to spermatozoa are shown. In patients with lower sperm quality, microcolonies of M. hominis were detected 2.5 times more frequently than classical colonies. The detection of microcolonies in the ejaculate and the frequent isolation of microcolonies from sperm samples of patients with fertility problems suggest that microcolonial cells may be one cause of infertility.
Topics: Humans; Mycoplasma hominis; Male; Semen; Infertility, Male; Spermatozoa; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Mycoplasma Infections; Adult; Spermatogenesis
PubMed: 37738137
DOI: 10.4103/aja202333