Vaginal colonization with mycoplasma hominis and ureaplasma urealyticum

Vaginal cultures obtained from unselected young women who consulted the gynecologist in a student health service were examined for Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis. Each participant completed a confidential questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine which variables, of a large number ascertained, were associated with mycoplasmal colonization. U. urealyticum was isolated from 273 (56.8%) of 481 participants. The following variables were significantly predictive of colonization with U. urealyticum: black race, absence of antibiotic use, cigarette smoking, and number of sexual partners during the last year. Lifetime number of sexual partners was significantly predictive only in women who used nonbarrier methods of contraception. M. hominis was isolated from 85 (17.7%) of the 481 participants. Independent variables that were significantly predictive of colonization with M. hominis included black race, young age, and, for users of nonbarrier methods of contraception, lifetime number of sexual partners.