Mycoplasmal PID: a review of natural and experimental infections

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Gynecology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a significant health concern.
• The etiological role of Mycoplasma hominis in PID requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing data on the association between Mycoplasma hominis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
• To evaluate the evidence supporting M. hominis as a causative agent of PID.

Main Methods:

• Review of clinical data on M. hominis isolation from PID patients.
• Analysis of antibody responses (IgM) in PID patients and experimentally infected animals.
• Experimental infection models in grivet monkeys and human fallopian tube cell cultures.

Main Results:

• M. hominis is isolated from 50-75% of PID patients, significantly more than in other clinical groups.
• One-fourth of PID patients exhibit a significant antibody response to M. hominis.
• Experimental M. hominis infection in grivet monkeys induced PID and increased IgM levels.
• M. hominis infection decreased mucociliary activity in human fallopian tube cell cultures.
• Limited clinical data support Ureaplasma urealyticum's role in PID; it did not cause PID in grivet monkeys.

Conclusions:

• Mycoplasma hominis is frequently detected in patients with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
• Experimental evidence, including animal models and in vitro studies, supports M. hominis as an etiological agent of PID.
• Ureaplasma urealyticum appears to have a limited role in PID based on current data.