Zeitschrift für Frauengesundheit
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Prevalence of Urogenital Mollicute Infections in Female Patients Originating from Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia

Elhem Yacoub*, Abdulla Abdulrahim Abusham, Osama Mohammed Saed Abdul-Wahab, Boutheina Ben Abdelmoumen Mardassi, Safa Boujemaa, Nadine Khadraoui, Behija Mlik, Mohammed Abohashrh, Ayyub Patel

Background: Urogenital mollicutes are a group of potentially pathogenic microorganisms that could be associated with serious complications related to reproductive failures and urogenital troubles. In Saudi Arabia, very little is known about the incidence of these pathogens. Here, we aim to investigate the prevalence of human urogenital mollicute infections caused by Mycoplasma hominis, M. fermentans, M. genitalium, Ureaplasma urealyticum and U. parvum in 100 female Saudi patients from Aseer region, suffering from gynecological and reproductive troubles.

Methods: Mollicutes detection was performed on vaginal swabs that were collected in 2018 using PCR amplification targeting 16S rRNA and species-specific genes in conjunction with culture.

Results: Overall, PCR detected mollicutes in the half of samples, unambiguously identifying M. fermentans (32%), M. hominis (11%), U. urealyticum (11%) and U. parvum (10%). Culture on specific medium was positive for 15 samples including M. fermentans (3%), M. hominis (11%) and Ureaplasma spp. (1%). U. urealyticum and U. parvum were found to be significantly associated with pregnancy complications and genital troubles (P<0.05). As for M. fermentans and M. hominis, no significant association was observed with any type of pathologies. However, for some urogenital/ gynecological troubles, odds ratio calculation showed that the occurrence risk is correlated to mollicute infections.

Conclusion: This study revealed a high prevalence of mollicute infections among female patients suffering from urogenital troubles, in Saudi Arabia, with a significant involvement of Ureaplasma species and an unexpected highrate of M. fermentans.