BackgroundThe epidemiology of bacterial vaginosis (BV) suggests it is sexually transmissible, yet no transmissible agent has been identified. It is probable that BV-associated bacterial communities are transferred from male to female partners during intercourse; however, the microbiota of sexual partners has not been well-studied.ResultsPyrosequencing analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA was used to examine BV-associated bacteria in monogamous couples with and without BV using vaginal, male urethral, and penile skin specimens. The penile skin and urethral microbiota of male partners of women with BV was significantly more similar to the vaginal microbiota of their female partner compared to the vaginal microbiota of non-partner women with BV. This was not the case for male partners of women with normal vaginal microbiota. Specific BV-associated species were concordant in women with BV and their male partners.ConclusionsIn monogamous heterosexual couples in which the woman has BV, the significantly higher similarity between the vaginal microbiota and the penile skin and urethral microbiota of the male partner, supports the hypothesis that sexual exchange of BV-associated bacterial taxa is common.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40168-016-0161-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
The HIV-infected children in Congo with no access to antiretroviral therapy were stunted, underweight, and wasted compared to same age uninfected children. Both HIV infection and HIV-associated signs and symptoms, not maternal immunological or socioeconomic circumstances, placed children at risk for growth retardation.
A single 1-g dose of azithromycin is more effective than multidose doxycycline for the treatment of M. genitalium-associated urethritis in men. M. genitalium may be an important cause of recurrent nongonococcal urethritis after administration of the treatment regimens currently recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There are high rates of asymptomatic sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the general urban school population. Repeated screening and treatment are associated with declines in chlamydia prevalence among boys. Expansion of STD screening and treatment programs to school settings is likely to be a critical component of a national strategy to control bacterial STDs.
T. vaginalis may alter the vaginal microbiota in a manner that is favorable to its survival and/or transmissibility. An unknown Mycoplasma species plays a role in some of these transformations. In other cases, these changes may result in a heightened host inflammatory response.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.