Can Gardnerella vaginalis and anaerobic curved rods attach to vaginal epithelial cells in vitro, resulting in clue cells?
Vaginal epithelial cells were taken from asymptomatic patients and from patients with non-specific vaginosis. Four bacterial species-Gardnerella vaginalis, Wolinella succinogenes and short and long anaerobic curved rods-were tested in vitro regarding attachment to the epithelial cells. In most experiments the curved rods and W. succinogenes attached to the cells. Less often, incubation with G. vaginalis resulted in cell attachment. There was no difference in attachment ability between the short and long rods. Clue cells were not often produced in these in vitro experiments.
D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000502:physiology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006194:Gardnerella vaginalis / Q000502:physiology*; D006190:Haemophilus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D014621:Vagina / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology*; D014627:Vaginitis / Q000382:microbiology