Vaginal anaerobes are associated with cervicitis: A case-control study

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Microbiome Research
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Cervicitis, inflammation of the cervix, has significant reproductive health implications.
• While Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea are primary causes, over 50% of cervicitis cases are negative for known sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
• Bacterial vaginosis (BV) and associated bacteria are implicated in cervicitis, but data remain limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between cervicitis without a known STI diagnosis (STI-negative cervicitis) and the composition of the vaginal microbiota.
• To identify specific bacterial taxa linked to STI-negative cervicitis.

Main Methods:

• A case-control sub-study within the OhMG study at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre.
• Cases comprised women with cervicitis negative for STIs (n=64); controls were asymptomatic, STI-negative women (n=128).
• Vaginal microbiota was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, comparing community state types and performing differential abundance analysis.

Main Results:

• Women with STI-negative cervicitis were more likely to have a Lactobacillus-deficient, non-optimal microbiota (aOR 2.55).
• Cases showed increased abundance of BV-associated bacteria, including Gardnerella, Fannyhessea vaginae, Prevotella bivia, and Dialister micraerophilus.
• A decrease in optimal lactobacilli was observed in cases compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• A significant association exists between non-optimal vaginal microbiota composition and STI-negative cervicitis.
• Specific anaerobic bacteria associated with bacterial vaginosis may be causative agents of cervicitis in the absence of STIs.