Association of Sexual Activity with Colonization and Vaginal Acquisition of Group B Streptococcus in Nonpregnant Women

Abstract

In a longitudinal cohort study of 1,248 nonpregnant young women recruited from three Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, health clinics in 1998-2000, the authors investigated risk factors associated with vaginal acquisition of group B Streptococcus (GBS). Rectal and vaginal swabs for GBS culture and demographic and behavioral interview data were obtained from the women at enrollment and at three 4-month intervals. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate risk factors for GBS acquisition among the 1,089 women with follow-up data. At enrollment, 365 (29.2%) of the 1,248 study participants were vaginally colonized with GBS. Of 767 women who were GBS-negative at enrollment, 344 (44.9%) acquired vaginal GBS colonization during follow-up. The following factors were independently associated with vaginal acquisition of GBS at the 0.05 significance level: African-American race (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2, 1.9), having multiple sex partners during the past 4 months (HR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1, 2.5), having frequent sexual intercourse during the past 4 months (HR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1, 2.2), and having sexual intercourse within the 5 days prior to the follow-up visit (HR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.3, 2.0). These results show that sexual activity is an important risk factor for vaginal acquisition of GBS.

Incidence and anti-microbial resistance profile of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection in pregnant women in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria

“…This may be attributed to the fact that young women in this age bracket are more sexually active than older women. It has been reported that GBS is more common in sexually active women including both frequent intercourse and multiple sex partners (Meyn et al, 2002).…”

Ritual Immersion in a Mikveh Is Associated with Increased Risk of Group B Streptococcal Carrier State in Israeli Parturient Women

“…during the previous 4 months and the absence of hydrogen peroxide-producing vaginal Lactobacillus were associated with higher rates of vaginal GBS acquisition (P < 0.05). Sexual activity was associated with vaginal GBS colonization but not with rectal-only colonization in young nonpregnant women [13].…”

“…A study that investigated risk factors for vaginal versus rectal acquisition of GBS included 1248 nonpregnant women [13]; 270 out of 1248 (21.6 percent) were colonized with GBS in either the rectum or vagina, 135 (10.8 percent) were colonized only in the rectum, and 95 (7.6 percent) were colonized only in the vagina. The study showed that sexual activity Numbers are means ± SD or numbers (percent), as appropriate; * Differences between study groups were not significant (P > 0.05) for all characteristics detailed.…”

Bacterial vaginosis: diagnosis and treatment

“…Estrogeny wytwarzane przez jajniki powodują wzrost i dojrzewanie oraz złuszczanie komórek nabłonka pochwy z jednoczesnym zwiększeniem liczby dojrzałych komórek warstw powierzchownych oraz zwiększanie ilości glikogenu w komórkach nabłonka pochwy i pojawianie się znacznej liczby pałeczek Lactobacillus spp. Odczyn pochwy staje się kwaśny (3,5). Progesteron wytwarzany w fazie sekrecyjnej cyklu miesiączkowego wywołuje przemiany w nabłonku pochwy polegające na przeroście komórek warstwy pośredniej i zwiększeniu liczby pałeczek Lactobacillus spp.…”

“…Przykładowo zanik bakterii z rodzaju Lactobacillus w pochwie może być spowodowany stosowaniem antybiotyków z powodu chorób pochwy lub innych narządów albo odbyciem stosunku. Stosunek seksualny z użyciem prezerwatywy nie wpływa co prawda na zmiany w liczby bakterii Lactobacillus spp., ale prowadzi do zwiększenia liczby bakterii z rodziny Enterobacteriaceae, głównie Escherichia coli (E. coli) i innych fakultatywnych Gram-ujemnych pałe-czek [3]. Składnikami fizjologicznej mikroflory pochwy u kobiet w wieku rozrodczym są głównie bakterie beztlenowe oraz w znacznie mniejszych ilościach bakterie tlenowe i grzyby.…”