title: Preliminary study of the flora in the lower genital tracts of sexually active adolescent females in relation to symptoms and inflammatory response.
abstract: The lower genital tracts of 20 sexually active adolescent females were examined for the presence of Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Corynebacterium genitalium, and Corynebacterium pseudogenitalium. Fifty percent of the asymptomatic adolescent females and 50% of the symptomatic adolescent females were colonized with M. hominis, which is higher than the percentage reported in adult females. None of the asymptomatic adolescent females and only 10% of the symptomatic adolescent females were colonized with U. urealyticum, which is much lower than the percentage reported in adults. None of the study patients was colonized with C. genitalium, but 25% were colonized with C. pseudogenitalium. No relationship was found between the presence of M. hominis in the lower genital tract and a clinically identifiable vaginal discharge or inflammatory changes in exfoliated cervical and vaginal epithelial cells. The presence of M.hominis in the lower genital tract does not appear to be influenced by use of oral contraceptives or antecedent pregnancy.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000382:microbiology*; D003352:Corynebacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014509:Ureaplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*; D014627:Vaginitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*