First Trimester Levels of BV-Associated Bacteria and Risk of Miscarriage Among Women Early in Pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: Prior studies have examined the role of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and increased risk of miscarriage; however the risk has been modest and many BV positive pregnant women deliver at term. BV is microbiologically heterogeneous, and thus the identification of specific BV-associated bacteria associated with miscarriage is warranted. METHODS: We measured the presence and level of seven BV-associated bacteria prior to 14 weeks gestation among urban pregnant women seeking routine prenatal care at five urban obstetric practices at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia PA from July 2008 through September 2011. 418 Pregnant women were included in this assessment and 74 experienced a miscarriage. RESULTS: Mean log concentration of BVAB3 was significantly higher among women experiencing a miscarriage (4.27 vs. 3.71, p value = 0.012). Younger women with high levels of BVAB3 had the greatest risk of miscarriage. In addition, we found a significant decreased risk of miscarriage among women with higher log concentrations of Leptotrichia/Sneathia species or Megasphaera phylotype 1-like species early in pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: The identification of selected vaginal bacteria associated with an increased risk of miscarriage could support screening programs early in pregnancy and promote early therapies to reduce early pregnancy loss.

Bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria in men: association of Leptotrichia/Sneathia spp. with nongonococcal urethritis.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 45% of nongonococcal urethritis cases have no identified etiology. Novel bacteria recently associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV) in women may be involved. We evaluated the association of idiopathic nongonococcal urethritis and 5 newly described BV-associated bacteria (BVAB). METHODS: Heterosexual men 16 years or older attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic in Seattle, Washington, from May 2007 to July 2011 and negative for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma genitalium, and Ureaplasma urealyticum-biovar2 were eligible. Cases had urethral discharge or 5 or more polymorphonuclear leukocytes per high-power field in urethral exudates. Controls had no urethral discharge and less than 5 polymorphonuclear leukocytes per high-power field. Urine was tested for Atopobium spp., BVAB-2, BVAB-3, Megasphaera spp., and Leptotrichia/Sneathia spp. using quantitative taxon-directed polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Cases (n = 157) and controls (n = 102) were of similar age, education, and income, and most were white. Leptotrichia/Sneathia spp. was significantly associated with urethritis (24/157 [15.3%] vs. 6/102 [5.9%], P = 0.03). BVAB-2 was more common in cases than in controls (7/157 [4.5%] vs. 1/102 [1.0%], P = 0.15), and BVAB-3 (n = 2) and Megasphaera spp. (n = 1) were only detected in men with urethritis, but these bacteria were found only in men who also had Leptotrichia/Sneathia spp. Atopobium spp. was not associated with urethritis. The quantity of bacteria did not differ between cases and controls. Among treated cases, doxycycline was more effective than azithromycin for clinical cure of men with Leptotrichia/Sneathia spp. (9/10 vs. 7/12, P = 0.16) and BVAB-2 (3/3 vs. 0/3, P = 0.10). CONCLUSIONS: Leptotrichia/Sneathia spp. may be urethral pathogens or contribute to a pathogenic microbiota that can also include BVAB-2, BVAB-3, and Megasphaera spp. Doxycycline may be more effective than azithromycin against these newly identified bacteria.