title: Systemic immune response to Trichomonas vaginalis infection during pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to characterize the systemic immune response in women with trichomoniasis in pregnancy as compared with uninfected women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nested case control study was performed on 195 serum samples. Serum concentrations of cytokines, chemokines, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were compared between infected and uninfected women. Cytokines and chemokines were measured using a multiplex bead assay. The CRP concentrations were determined using a standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median serum concentration of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was significantly higher in the trichomonas-infected group compared with the uninfected group (8.9 pg/mL vs. 5.7 pg/mL; P <0.001). The mean log-transformed CRP values were higher in the infected group compared with the uninfected group (1.66 vs. 1.27; P = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that trichomoniasis during pregnancy can lead to a systemic immune response in some women as exhibited by elevation in the serum concentrations of both GM-CSF and CRP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Magee-Womens Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. banderson@wihri.org
authors.forename: Brenna L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Cosentino
authors.forename: Hyagriv N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Simhan
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hillier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D014247:Trichomonas Vaginitis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D002097:C-Reactive Protein