Amygdalobacter indicium gen. nov., sp. nov., and Amygdalobacter nucleatus sp. nov., gen. nov.: novel bacteria from the family Oscillospiraceae isolated from the female genital tract.

Four obligately anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria representing one novel genus and two novel species were isolated from the female genital tract. Both novel species, designated UPII 610-JT and KA00274T, and an additional isolate of each species were characterized utilizing biochemical, genotypic and phylogenetic analyses. All strains were non-motile and non-spore forming, asaccharolytic, non-cellulolytic and indole-negative coccobacilli. Fatty acid methyl ester analysis for UPII 610-JT and KA00274T and additional isolates revealed C16 : 0, C18 : 0, C18:1ω9c and C18:2ω6,9c to be the major fatty acids for both species. UPII 610-JT had a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 99.4 % to an uncultured clone sequence (AY724740) designated as Bacterial Vaginosis Associated Bacterium 2 (BVAB2). KA00274T had a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 96.5 % to UPII 610-JT. Whole genomic DNA mol% G+C content was 42.2 and 39.3 % for UPII 610-JT and KA00274T, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses indicate these isolates represent a novel genus and two novel species within the Oscillospiraceae family. We propose the names Amygdalobacter indicium gen. nov., sp. nov., for UPII 610-JT representing the type strain of this species (=DSM 112989T, =ATCC TSD-274T) and Amygdalobacter nucleatus gen. nov., sp. nov., for KA00274T representing the type strain of this species (=DSM 112988T, =ATCC TSD-275T).

Reduced Endometrial Ascension and Enhanced Reinfection Associated With Immunoglobulin G Antibodies to Specific Chlamydia trachomatis Proteins in Women at Risk for Chlamydia.

BACKGROUND: Previous research revealed antibodies targeting Chlamydia trachomatis elementary bodies was not associated with reduced endometrial or incident infection in C. trachomatis-exposed women. However, data on the role of C. trachomatis protein-specific antibodies in protection are limited. METHODS: A whole-proteome C. trachomatis array screening serum pools from C. trachomatis-exposed women identified 121 immunoprevalent proteins. Individual serum samples were probed using a focused array. Immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibody frequencies and endometrial or incident infection relationships were examined using Wilcoxon rank sum test. The impact of the breadth and magnitude of protein-specific IgGs on ascension and incident infection were examined using multivariable stepwise logistic regression. Complementary RNA sequencing quantified C. trachomatis gene transcripts in cervical swab samples from infected women. RESULTS: IgG to pGP3 and CT_005 were associated with reduced endometrial infection; anti-CT_443, anti-CT_486, and anti-CT_123 were associated with increased incident infection. Increased breadth of protein recognition did not however predict protection from endometrial or incident infection. Messenger RNAs for immunoprevalent C. trachomatis proteins were highly abundant in the cervix. CONCLUSIONS: Protein-specific C. trachomatis antibodies are not sufficient to protect against ascending or incident infection. However, cervical C. trachomatis gene transcript abundance positively correlates with C. trachomatis protein immunogenicity. These abundant and broadly recognized antigens are viable vaccine candidates.

Multicenter Comparison of Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests for the Diagnosis of Rectal and Oropharyngeal Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infections.

Research using nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) have repeatedly found rectal and oropharyngeal infections with Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae to be common and potentially more difficult to treat than genital infections. Unfortunately, public health and patient care efforts have been hampered by the lack of FDA-cleared NAATs with claims for anorectal or oropharyngeal samples. At the time of the initiation of this study, no commercially available assays had these claims. We formed a novel partnership among academic institutions and diagnostic manufacturers to address this public health need. From May 2018 through August 2019, we recruited 1108 women, 1256 men, and 26 transgender persons each of whom provided 3 anal and 3 oropharyngeal swab specimens. The 3 anal swabs were pooled into a single transport tube as were the 3 oropharyngeal swabs. The performance of each of three study assays was estimated by comparison to the composite result and relative to one another. Percent positivity for chlamydia was 5.9 and 1.2% from anal and oropharyngeal specimens, respectively, compared to 4.2 and 4.1% for gonorrhea. Sensitivity for chlamydia detection ranged from 81.0 to 95.1% and 82.8 to 100% for anal and oropharyngeal specimens, respectively. Gonorrhea sensitivity ranged from 85.9 to 99.0% and 74.0 to 100% for anal and oropharyngeal samples, respectively. Specificity estimates were ≥ 98.9% for all assays, organisms, and sample types. Although there was heterogeneity between sensitivity estimates, these assays offer better ability to detect extragenital infections than culture and potential solutions for providing appropriate sexual health care for populations in which these infections are of concern.

Coinfection With Chlamydial and Gonorrheal Infection Among US Adults With Early Syphilis.

ABSTRACT: Among 865 adults with early syphilis considered for a multicenter treatment trial, 234 (27%) were excluded before enrollment because of bacterial sexually transmitted infection coinfection. Coinfection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (29%), Chlamydia trachomatis (22%), or both (23%) was common. Study findings highlight the need for comprehensive bacterial sexually transmitted infection screening in patients with syphilis.

Chlamydial Pgp3 Seropositivity and Population-Attributable Fraction Among Women With Tubal Factor Infertility.

BACKGROUND: Chlamydial infection is associated with tubal factor infertility (TFI); however, assessment of prior chlamydial infection and TFI is imperfect. We previously evaluated a combination of serological assays for association with TFI. We now describe the chlamydial contribution to TFI using a newer Chlamydia trachomatis Pgp3-enhanced serological (Pgp3) assay. METHODS: In our case-control study of women 19 to 42 years old with hysterosalpingogram-diagnosed TFI (cases) and non-TFI (controls) in 2 US infertility clinics, we assessed possible associations and effect modifiers between Pgp3 seropositivity and TFI using adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) stratified by race. We then estimated the adjusted chlamydia population-attributable fraction with 95% CI of TFI. RESULTS: All Black (n = 107) and 618 of 620 non-Black women had Pgp3 results. Pgp3 seropositivity was 25.9% (95% CI, 19.3%-33.8%) for non-Black cases, 15.2% (95% CI, 12.3%-18.7%) for non-Black controls, 66.0% (95% CI, 51.7%-77.8%) for Black cases, and 71.7% (95% CI, 59.2%-81.5%) for Black controls. Among 476 non-Black women without endometriosis (n = 476), Pgp3 was associated with TFI (adjusted odds ratio, 2.6 [95% CI, 1.5-4.4]), adjusting for clinic, age, and income; chlamydia TFI-adjusted population-attributable fraction was 19.8% (95% CI, 7.7%-32.2%) in these women. Pgp3 positivity was not associated with TFI among non-Black women with endometriosis or among Black women (regardless of endometriosis). CONCLUSIONS: Among non-Black infertile women without endometriosis in these clinics, 20% of TFI was attributed to chlamydia. Better biomarkers are needed to estimate chlamydia TFI PAF, especially in Black women.

Implementing pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention in women: the role of the obstetrician-gynecologist.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis is a powerful HIV prevention tool that can reduce the risk of acquiring HIV by >90% from unprotected sex and >70% from injection drug use. The peripartum period is a time of heightened HIV risk, which underscores the need for HIV prevention counseling and the provision of biomedical interventions in all stages of a woman's reproductive life. It is important that women receive nonjudgmental care, have access to discussions of HIV risk, and are provided with pre-exposure prophylaxis counseling from their women's health practitioners. Obstetrician-gynecologists and other women's health providers are uniquely positioned to identify women who would benefit from pre-exposure prophylaxis and provide it in trusted clinical settings.

The Continued Challenges in the Diagnosis of Acute Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: Focus on Clinically Mild Disease.

Many women with lower genital tract infections associated with sexually transmitted pathogens have evidence of upper genital tract inflammation despite the absence of symptoms and signs traditionally associated with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). New biomarkers are needed to identify these women with clinically mild PID or subclinical PID (silent salpingitis) to facilitate initiation of early treatment and ameliorate the sequelae associated with upper genital tract infection and inflammation.

The Burden of and Trends in Pelvic Inflammatory Disease in the United States, 2006-2016.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the upper genital tract that has important reproductive consequences to women. We describe the burden of and trends in PID among reproductive-aged women in the United States during 2006-2016. METHODS: We used data from 2 nationally representative probability surveys collecting self-reported PID history (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, National Survey of Family Growth); 5 datasets containing International Classification of Diseases, Ninth/Tenth Revision codes indicating diagnosed PID (Healthcare Utilization Project; National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, emergency department component; National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey; National Disease Therapeutic Index; MarketScan); and data from a network of sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics (Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Network). Trends during 2006-2016 were estimated overall, by age group and, if available, race/ethnicity, region, and prior STIs. RESULTS: An estimated 2 million reproductive-aged women self-reported a history of PID. Three of 4 nationally representative data sources showed overall declines in a self-reported PID history, and PID emergency department and physician office visits, with small increases observed in nearly all data sources starting around 2015. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of PID in the United States is high. Despite declines in burden over time, there is evidence of an increase in recent years.

Host Genetic Risk Factors for Chlamydia trachomatis-Related Infertility in Women.

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infection ascending to the upper genital tract can cause infertility. Direct association of genetic variants as contributors is challenging because infertility may not be diagnosed until years after infection. Investigating the intermediate trait of ascension bridges this gap. METHODS: We identified infertility genome-wide association study (GWAS) loci using deoxyribonucleic acid from Ct-seropositive cisgender women in a tubal factor infertility study and Ct-infected cisgender women from a longitudinal pelvic inflammatory disease cohort with known fertility status. Deoxyribonucleic acid and blood messenger ribonucleic acid from 2 additional female cohorts with active Ct infection and known endometrial infection status were used to investigate the impact of infertility single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on Ct ascension. A statistical mediation test examined whether multiple infertility SNPs jointly influenced ascension risk by modulating expression of mediator genes. RESULTS: We identified 112 candidate infertility GWAS loci, and 31 associated with Ct ascension. The SNPs altered chlamydial ascension by modulating expression of 40 mediator genes. Mediator genes identified are involved in innate immune responses including type I interferon production, T-cell function, fibrosis, female reproductive tract health, and protein synthesis and degradation. CONCLUSIONS: We identified Ct-related infertility loci and their potential functional effects on Ct ascension.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Ceftriaxone and Doxycycline, With or Without Metronidazole, for the Treatment of Acute Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.

BACKGROUND: Anaerobic organisms are important pathogens in acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). The currently recommended PID regimen of a single dose of ceftriaxone and doxycycline for 14 days has limited anaerobic activity. The need for broader anaerobic coverage is unknown and concerns have been raised about metronidazole tolerability. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial comparing ceftriaxone 250 mg intramuscular single dose and doxycycline for 14 days, with or without 14 days of metronidazole in women with acute PID. The primary outcome was clinical improvement at 3 days following enrollment. Additional outcomes at 30 days following treatment were the presence of anaerobic organisms in the endometrium, clinical cure (absence of fever and reduction in tenderness), adherence, and tolerability. RESULTS: We enrolled 233 women (116 to metronidazole and 117 to placebo). Clinical improvement at 3 days was similar between the 2 groups. At 30 days following treatment, anaerobic organisms were less frequently recovered from the endometrium in women treated with metronidazole than placebo (8% vs 21%, P < .05) and cervical Mycoplasma genitalium was reduced (4% vs 14%, P < .05). Pelvic tenderness was also less common among women receiving metronidazole (9% vs 20%, P < .05). Adverse events and adherence were similar in each treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: In women treated for acute PID, the addition of metronidazole to ceftriaxone and doxycycline was well tolerated and resulted in reduced endometrial anaerobes, decreased M. genitalium, and reduced pelvic tenderness compared to ceftriaxone and doxycycline. Metronidazole should be routinely added to ceftriaxone and doxycycline for the treatment of women with acute PID. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT01160640.

Tubal Factor Infertility, In Vitro Fertilization, and Racial Disparities: A Retrospective Cohort in Two US Clinics.

BACKGROUND: Nearly 14% of US women report any lifetime infertility which is associated with health care costs and psychosocial consequences. Tubal factor infertility (TFI) often occurs as a result of sexually transmitted diseases and subsequent pelvic inflammatory disease. We sought to evaluate for and describe potential racial disparities in TFI and in vitro fertilization (IVF) prevalence. METHODS: Records of women aged 19 to 42 years in our retrospective cohort from 2 US infertility clinics were reviewed. We calculated TFI prevalence, IVF initiation prevalence, and prevalence ratios (PRs), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each estimate, overall and by race. RESULTS: Among 660 infertile women, 110 (16.7%; 95% CI, 13.8-19.5%) had TFI which was higher in Black compared with White women (30.3% [33/109] vs 13.9% [68/489]; PR, 2.2 [95% CI, 1.5-3.1]). For women with TFI, IVF was offered to similar proportions of women by race (51.5% [17/33] vs 52.9% [36/68] for Black vs White women); however, fewer Black than White women with TFI started IVF (6.7% [1/15] vs 31.0% [9/29]; PR, 0.2 [95% CI, 0-1.0]), although the difference was not statistically different. CONCLUSIONS: Tubal factor infertility prevalence was 2-fold higher among Black than White women seeking care for infertility. Among women with TFI, data suggested a lower likelihood of Black women starting IVF than White women. Improved sexually transmitted disease prevention and treatment might ameliorate disparities in TFI.

Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing Compared With Cultures, Gram Stain, and Microscopy in the Diagnosis of Vaginitis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) for the diagnosis of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), bacterial vaginosis, and Trichomonas vaginalis. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of women with (n = 200) and without (n = 100) vulvovaginal symptoms was enrolled from outpatient gynecology offices and a vulvovaginal referral clinic. Vaginal swabs were analyzed by wet mount microscopy, yeast culture, Gram stain, T. vaginalis culture, and NAAT. Sensitivity and specificity analyses were performed. RESULTS: Among symptomatic women, the sensitivity of microscopy was 48.5% for VVC and 75% for T. vaginalis. Sensitivities of NAAT and culture for diagnosing VVC were 92.4% and 83.3%, respectively, whereas these methods were 100% and 93.8% for T. vaginalis. The sensitivity for bacterial vaginosis diagnosis by clinical criteria ("Amsel criteria"), Gram stain, and NAAT were 98.7%, 82.7%, and 78.7%, respectively. Test concordance rates were high between culture and NAAT for Candida species (91%) and between Gram stain and NAAT for the detection of bacterial vaginosis (88%). Among asymptomatic women, 20%-21% tested positive for bacterial vaginosis by Gram stain or NAAT, and 8%-13% were colonized with Candida species based on culture or NAAT. CONCLUSIONS: Given the limitations of wet mount sensitivity for VVC and T. vaginalis, culture or NAAT testing should be considered when evaluating women with symptoms of vaginitis who test negative by microscopy. Although Amsel criteria accurately diagnosed bacterial vaginosis, NAAT is preferred for detection of T. vaginalis and performed similarly to culture for the diagnosis of VVC.

Prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium Infection, Antimicrobial Resistance Mutations, and Symptom Resolution Following Treatment of Urethritis.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance in Mycoplasma genitalium (MG), a cause of urethritis, is a growing concern. Yet little is known about the geographic distribution of MG resistance in the United States or about its associated clinical outcomes. We evaluated the frequency of MG among men with urethritis, resistance mutations, and posttreatment symptom persistence. METHODS: We enrolled men presenting with urethritis symptoms to 6 US sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics during June 2017-July 2018; men with urethritis were eligible for follow-up contact and, if they had persistent symptoms or MG, a chart review. Urethral specimens were tested for MG and other bacterial STDs. Mutations in 23S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) loci (macrolide resistance-associated mutations [MRMs]) and in parC and gyrA (quinolone-associated mutations) were detected by targeted amplification/Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: Among 914 evaluable participants, 28.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 23.8-33.6) had MG. Men with MG were more often Black (79.8% vs 66%, respectively), <30 years (72.9% vs 56.1%, respectively), and reported only female partners (83.7% vs 74.2%, respectively) than men without MG. Among MG-positive participants, 64.4% (95% CI, 58.2-70.3%) had MRM, 11.5% (95% CI, 7.9-16.0%) had parC mutations, and 0% had gyrA mutations. Among participants treated with azithromycin-based therapy at enrollment and who completed the follow-up survey, persistent symptoms were reported by 25.8% of MG-positive/MRM-positive men, 13% of MG-positive/MRM-negative men, and 17.2% of MG-negative men. CONCLUSIONS: MG infection was common among men with urethritis; the MRM prevalence was high among men with MG. Persistent symptoms following treatment were frequent among men both with and without MG.

Cervical Cytokines Associated With Chlamydia trachomatis Susceptibility and Protection.

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis can cause reproductive morbidities after ascending to the upper genital tract of women, and repeated infection can lead to worse disease. Data related to protective immune responses at the cervical mucosa that could limit chlamydial infection to the cervix and/or prevent reinfection inform vaccine approaches and biomarkers of risk. METHODS: We measured 48 cytokines in cervical secretions from women having chlamydial cervical infection alone (n = 92) or both cervical and endometrial infection (n = 68). Univariable regression identified cytokines associated with differential odds of endometrial infection and reinfection risk, and multivariable stepwise regression identified cytokine ratios associated with differential risk. RESULTS: Elevated interleukin (IL) 15/CXCL10 (odds ratio [OR], 0.55 [95% confidence interval {CI}, .37-.78]), IL-16/tumor necrosis factor-α (OR, 0.66 [95% CI, .45-.93]), and CXCL14/IL-17A (OR, 0.73 [95% CI, .54-.97]) cytokine ratios were significantly (P ≤ .05) associated with decreased odds of endometrial infection. A higher Flt-3L/IL-14 ratio was significantly (P = .001) associated with a decreased risk of reinfection (hazard ratio, 0.71 [95% CI, .58-.88]). CONCLUSIONS: Cytokines involved in humoral, type I interferon, and T-helper (Th) 17 responses were associated with susceptibility to C. trachomatis, whereas cytokines involved in Th1 polarization, recruitment, and activation were associated with protection against ascension and reinfection.

Susceptibility of endometrial isolates recovered from women with clinical pelvic inflammatory disease or histological endometritis to antimicrobial agents.

The CDC recommended outpatient treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an intramuscular dose of ceftriaxone plus 14 days of doxycycline, with or without metronidazole. European guidelines (2017) include moxifloxacin plus ceftriaxone as a first line regimen, particularly for women with Mycoplasma genitalium-associated PID. However, the susceptibility of bacteria recovered from the endometrium of women with PID to moxifloxacin is unknown. The in vitro antibiotic susceptibility of facultative and anaerobic bacteria recovered from endometrial biopsy samples were evaluated from 105 women having symptomatic PID and/or histologically confirmed endometritis. A total of 342 endometrial isolates from enrollment visits were identified using a combination of biochemical tests and sequencing. Isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using agar dilution against ceftriaxone, clindamycin, doxycycline, metronidazole and moxifloxacin according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Neisseria gonorrhoeae was susceptible to ceftriaxone with all isolates having an MIC of 0.03 µg/mL. All the other endometrial isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone, except for Prevotella species, only half of which were susceptible. The in vitro susceptibility profile for BV-associated bacteria (Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae, Prevotella species, Porphyromonas species and anaerobic gram-positive cocci) revealed greater susceptibility to moxifloxacin compared to doxycycline. Moxifloxacin was superior to metronidazole for G. vaginalis and A. vaginae, and either metronidazole or moxifloxacin was needed to cover Prevotella species. Based on in vitro susceptibility testing, the combination of ceftriaxone plus moxifloxacin provides similar coverage of facultative and anaerobic pathogens compared to the combination of ceftriaxone, metronidazole and doxycycline. Head to head clinical studies of these treatment regimens are needed to evaluate clinical efficacy and eradication of endometrial pathogens following treatment.

A Silent Epidemic: The Prevalence, Incidence and Persistence of Mycoplasma genitalium Among Young, Asymptomatic High-Risk Women in the United States.

Background: Mycoplasma genitalium can result in pelvic inflammatory disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes. We analyzed data collected from a prospective study of asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV) to determine the natural history of M. genitalium. Methods: Women aged 15-25 years, with asymptomatic BV and ≥2 risk factors for sexually transmitted infection were recruited from 10 sites throughout the United States. Vaginal swab samples were collected at enrollment and through home-based testing every 2 months over 12 months. M. genitalium nucleic acid amplification testing was performed for M. genitalium using transcription-mediated assays (Hologic). The prevalence, incidence, and persistence of M. genitalium, defined as all positive specimens during follow-up, were estimated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) were calculated using logistic and Poisson regression to evaluate participant characteristics associated with M. genitalium infection. Results: Among 1139 women, 233 were M. genitalium positive, for a prevalence of 20.5% (95% CI, 18.2%-22.9%); 42 of 204 had persistent M. genitalium (20.6%). Among 801 M. genitalium-negative women at baseline, the M. genitalium incidence was 36.6 per 100 person-years (95% CI, 32.4-41.3). Black race (AOR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.09-3.38), age ≤21 years (1.40; 1.03-1.91), and prior pregnancy (1.36; 1.00-1.85) were associated with prevalent M. genitalium; only black race was associated with incident M. genitalium (P = .03). Conclusions: We identified high rates of prevalent, incident, and persistent M. genitalium infections among young, high-risk women with asymptomatic BV, supporting the need for clinical trials to evaluate the impact of M. genitalium screening on female reproductive health outcomes.

Risk factors for Mycoplasma genitalium endometritis and incident infection: a secondary data analysis of the T cell Response Against Chlamydia (TRAC) Study.

OBJECTIVE: Assess risk factors for incident and endometrial Mycoplasma genitalium infection and determine if M. genitalium is associated with histological endometritis, an indicator of pelvic inflammatory disease. METHODS: This study was a secondary data analysis within the T cell Response Against Chlamydia (TRAC) Study, a prospective evaluation of 246 women with or at risk for Chlamydia trachomatis from urban outpatient clinics, who were followed quarterly for 12 months. Risk factors for incident M. genitalium infection were determined by Cox regression. Relative risks were estimated by Poisson regression with robust error measurements for models examining the association between M. genitalium and endometritis (histological evidence of plasma cells in endometrial stroma and neutrophils in the endometrial epithelium) and for models examining risk factors for detection of endometrial M. genitalium infection. RESULTS: M. genitalium prevalence was 16.7%, incidence was 25.3 per 100 person-years and 23% had repeated positive tests. Black race (non-black HRadj 0.4, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.9), less education (HRadj 2.4, 95% CI 1.2 to 5.1) and a new sexual partner (HRadj 3.1, 95% CI 1.7 to 5.4) were associated with incident M. genitalium. M. genitalium was associated with endometritis (RRadj 2.0, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.7). Trichomonas vaginalis (RRadj 2.0, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.4) and endometrial C. trachomatis (RRadj 1.7, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.8) were associated with endometrial M. genitalium. CONCLUSIONS: M. genitalium is prevalent in women at high risk for C. trachomatis, persists over multiple follow-up visits and is associated with histological endometritis. Studies are needed to determine if screening for M. genitalium will improve reproductive outcomes.

Mycoplasma genitalium in Women: Current Knowledge and Research Priorities for This Recently Emerged Pathogen.

Health consequences of sexually transmitted diseases disproportionately affect women, making it important to determine whether newly emerged pathogens cause sequelae. Although the pathogenic role of Mycoplasma genitalium in male urethritis is clear, fewer studies have been conducted among women to determine its pathogenic role in the female reproductive tract. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an important cause of infertility and ectopic pregnancy, and Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are recognized microbial causes. Emerging data demonstrate an association between M. genitalium and PID, and limited data suggest associations with infertility and preterm birth, yet the attributable risk for female genital tract infections remains to be defined. Further investigations are needed to better define the impact of M. genitalium on women's reproductive health. Importantly, prospective studies evaluating whether screening programs and targeted treatment of M. genitalium improve reproductive outcomes in women are necessary to guide public health policy for this emerging pathogen.

Use of Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing for Diagnosis of Extragenital Sexually Transmitted Infections.

Nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) is the preferred method to detect Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, but no commercial tests are cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use with extragenital swab samples. This study evaluated the performance of the Gen-Probe Aptima Combo2 assay (Aptima) and the Cepheid Xpert CT/NG assay (Xpert) to detect C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae in rectal and pharyngeal samples from 224 men and 175 women reporting a history of anal receptive sexual intercourse. Discordant results between the NAATs were repeated using the assays APTIMA CT or APTIMA GC, which target alternate primers, as the confirmatory tests. C. trachomatis was detected from 59 rectal swabs and 8 pharyngeal samples, with 97.7% and 99.5% agreement between the two test systems, respectively. For C. trachomatis, Xpert was 95% sensitive (95% CI, 86 to 99%) and Aptima was 92% sensitive (95% CI, 81 to 97%) from rectal swabs, while both systems were 100% sensitive from pharyngeal samples. N. gonorrhoeae was detected from 30 rectal and 40 pharyngeal samples, with 99.5% and 97.5% agreement between the two test systems. The sensitivity of Xpert for N. gonorrhoeae from rectal swabs was 100% (95% CI, 88 to 100%) versus 93% (95% CI, 78 to 99%) for Aptima. From pharyngeal swab samples, Xpert was 98% sensitive (95% CI, 87 to 99.9%) versus 93% (95% CI, 80 to 98%) for Aptima. For C. trachomatis, neither system was >95% sensitive from the rectum, though both were >99.5% specific. For N. gonorrhoeae, Xpert had higher sensitivity than Aptima, but with more false positives from pharyngeal samples.