Mycoplasma genitalium detected by transcription-mediated amplification is associated with Chlamydia trachomatis in adolescent women.
OBJECTIVE
The clinical significance of Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) infection in adolescent women is poorly understood. We compared the prevalence of MG with that of other sexually transmitted organisms such as Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) and assessed the associations of MG with sexual behaviors, genitourinary symptoms, physical and laboratory findings.


METHODS
Women aged 14 to 21 years (n = 331) were recruited from an urban medical center. The subjects' sexual behaviors, genitourinary symptoms, and physical findings were recorded. Endocervical swabs were collected for CT and NG testing and vaginal swabs for wet mount, Gram stain, TV and MG testing. MG infection was identified by nucleic acid amplification using a transcription-mediated amplification assay.


RESULTS
MG was detected in 74 (22.4%), CT in 79 (24.4%), TV in 60 (18.2%), and NG in 35 (10.7%) subjects. MG infection was not associated with vaginal symptoms, physical evidence of cervicitis, or findings on wet mount or Gram stain. In logistic regression, variables positively associated with MG were current CT [odds ratio (OR), 2.3; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4-4.4] and recent sexual contact (< or =7 days) (OR, 2.0; CI, 1.1-3.2). Dysuria (OR, 0.44; CI, 0.2-0.96) and use of hormonal contraception (OR, 0.55; CI, 0.3-1.0) were negatively associated with MG infection.


CONCLUSIONS
In adolescent women, MG infection was as common as chlamydial infection and trichomoniasis and more common than gonorrhea. MG was associated with CT and recent sexual contact but not with vaginal symptoms or signs of cervicitis.
Huppert
Jill S
JS
Division of Adolescent Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3039, USA. jill.huppert@cchmc.org
Mortensen
Joel E
JE
Reed
Jennifer L
JL
Kahn
Jessica A
JA
Rich
Kimberly D
KD
Hobbs
Marcia M
MM
D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D045704:Mycoplasma genitalium / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014626:Vaginal Smears