Presence of a Polymicrobial Endometrial Biofilm in Patients with Bacterial Vaginosis

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2013 Jan 16

PMID 23320114

Citations 62

Authors

Alexander Swidsinski

Hans Verstraelen

Vera Loening-Baucke

Sonja Swidsinski

Werner Mendling

Zaher Halwani

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To assess whether the bacterial vaginosis biofilm extends into the upper female genital tract.

Study Design: Endometrial samples obtained during curettage and fallopian tube samples obtained during salpingectomy were collected. Endometrial and fallopian tube samples were analyzed for the presence of bacteria with fluorescence-in-situ-hybridisation (FISH) analysis with probes targeting bacterial vaginosis-associated and other bacteria.

Results: A structured polymicrobial Gardnerella vaginalis biofilm could be detected in part of the endometrial and fallopian tube specimens. Women with bacterial vaginosis had a 50.0% (95% CI 24.0-76.0) risk of presenting with an endometrial Gardnerella vaginalis biofilm. Pregnancy (AOR = 41.5, 95% CI 5.0-341.9, p<0.001) and the presence of bacterial vaginosis (AOR = 23.2, 95% CI 2.6-205.9, p<0.001) were highly predictive of the presence of uterine or fallopian bacterial colonisation when compared to non-pregnant women without bacterial vaginosis.

Conclusion: Bacterial vaginosis is frequently associated with the presence of a structured polymicrobial Gardnerella vaginalis biofilm attached to the endometrium. This may have major implications for our understanding of the pathogenesis of adverse pregnancy outcome in association with bacterial vaginosis.

Citing Articles

Key bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria influence each other's growth in biofilms in rich media and media simulating vaginal tract secretions.

Sousa L, Muzny C, Cerca N Biofilm. 2025; 9:100247.

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Testing on bacterial vaginosis in a subfertile population and time to pregnancy: a prospective cohort study.

van den Tweel M, van den Munckhof E, van der Zanden M, le Cessie S, van Lith J, Boers K Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2024; 310(2):1245-1253.

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Interpretation of vaginal metagenomic characteristics in different types of vaginitis.

Song J, Dong X, Lan Y, Lu Y, Liu X, Kang X mSystems. 2024; 9(3):e0137723.

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causes recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis by forming morphologically disparate biofilms on the human vaginal epithelium.

Pan Y, Sun Y, Chen L, Cheng Y, Jin P, Zhang W Biofilm. 2023; 6:100162.

PMID: 37941804 PMC: 10630605. DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2023.100162.

Bacterial Vaginosis: Guideline of the DGGG, OEGGG and SGGG (S2k-Level, AWMF Registry No. 015/028, June 2023).

Farr A, Swidsinski S, Surbek D, Tirri B, Willinger B, Hoyme U Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. 2023; 83(11):1331-1349.

PMID: 37928409 PMC: 10624544. DOI: 10.1055/a-2169-8539.

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