Ureaplasma urealyticumandU. parvumin sexually active women attending public health clinics in Brazil

Abstract

SUMMARYUreaplasma urealyticumandU. parvumhave been associated with genital infections. The purpose of this study was to detect the presence of ureaplasmas and other sexually transmitted infections in sexually active women from Brazil and relate these data to demographic and sexual health, and cytokines IL-6 and IL-1β. Samples of cervical swab of 302 women were examined at the Family Health Units in Vitória da Conquista. The frequency of detection by conventional PCR was 76·2% forMollicutes. In qPCR, the frequency found was 16·6% forU. urealyticumand 60·6%U. parvumand the bacterial load of these microorganisms was not significantly associated with signs and symptoms of genital infection. The frequency found forTrichomonas vaginalis,Neisseria gonorrhoeae,Gardnerella vaginalisandChlamydia trachomatiswas 3·0%, 21·5%, 42·4% and 1·7%, respectively. Higher levels of IL-1βwere associated with control women colonized byU. urealyticumandU. parvum. Increased levels of IL-6 were associated with women who exhibitedU. parvum. Sexually active women, with more than one sexual partner in the last 3 months, living in a rural area were associated with increased odds of certainU. parvumserovar infection.