Evaluation of Microbial Enzymes in Normal and Abnormal Cervicovaginal Fluids of Cervical Dysplasia: A Case Control Study

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of microbial enzymes in normal and abnormal cervicovaginal fluids of cervical dysplasia. The cervicovaginal infections were evaluated through the estimation of microbial enzymes in patients with and without abnormal cervical cytology like bacterial and fungal infections. The patients were categorized based on infection caused by organism and stages of dysplasia. The pH, Whiff test, and Pap smear tests were conducted for normal and abnormal cervical swabs based on standard protocols. Microbial enzymes include mucinase, sialidases, and proteases of the cervical swabs and are estimated according to standard methods. The results of abnormal cervical cytological smears showed increased pH and the presence of amines with different levels of Pap smear test. Increased levels of microbial enzymes were observed in patients with abnormal cytology than normal cytology. Three microbial enzymes mucinase, sialidase, and protease were significantly (P<0.01) more elevated in patients with bacterial infections (8.97±0.64,10.39±0.28,8.12±0.64) than without dysplasia (2.02±0.8,1.98±0.3,1.96±0.8). The results reinforce that the microbial infection seems to be more prone to cervical dysplasia and may act as risk-factor for the development of cervical cancer along with HPV infection.