Association between bacterial vaginosis and partner concurrency: a longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Microbiome Research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common vaginal condition with complex etiology.
• The role of sexual network characteristics, specifically partner concurrency, in BV prevalence is not well-established in longitudinal studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between prevalent bacterial vaginosis (BV) and partner concurrency in a longitudinal cohort of women.
• To assess if women reporting partner concurrency are more likely to have BV.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 3620 non-pregnant women aged 15-44 years for the Longitudinal Study of Vaginal Flora.
• Collected quarterly behavioral questionnaires and vaginal smears over one year.
• Utilized mixed-effects logistic regression to analyze the relationship between BV (Nugent score ≥7 or Amsel criteria) and reported partner concurrency (3-6 month interval).

Main Results:

• Prevalent BV, defined by Nugent score, was significantly associated with reporting partner concurrency (aOR 1.5; 95% CI 1.2-1.8).
• This association was observed whether partner concurrency was reported as definite or possible.
• Similar associations were found when BV was diagnosed using Amsel criteria.

Conclusions:

• A diagnosis of prevalent bacterial vaginosis is associated with women reporting that their partner possibly or definitely engaged in partner concurrency.
• Findings suggest sexual network dynamics, including partner concurrency, may play a role in BV acquisition or persistence.