High Mycoplasma genitalium organism burden is associated with shedding of HIV-1 DNA from the cervix.
We assessed the relationship between infection with Mycoplasma genitalium, an emerging sexually transmitted pathogen, and cervical shedding of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 DNA among 303 HIV-1-positive Kenyan women. HIV-1 shedding was detected by qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 154 women (51%); M. genitalium was detected by qualitative PCR in 52 (17%), and organism burden was determined by quantitative PCR. Women with high M. genitalium organism burdens (more than the median of 3195 genomes/mL) were 3-fold more likely to shed HIV-1 DNA than were M. genitalium-negative women (adjusted OR, 2.9 [95% confidence interval, 1.1-7.6]), yet this did not appear to be mediated by traditional measures of cervical inflammation (elevated polymorphonuclear leukocyte count).
Manhart
Lisa E
LE
Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104-2499, USA. lmanhart@u-washington.edu
Mostad
Sara B
SB
Baeten
Jared M
JM
Astete
Sabina G
SG
Mandaliya
Kishorchandra
K
Totten
Patricia A
PA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya; D008875:Middle Aged; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000150:complications*; D045704:Mycoplasma genitalium / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017201:Virus Shedding
D004279:DNA, Viral