title: Ethnic variations in cervical cytokine concentrations and vaginal flora during pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pregnancy-mediated changes in immunity may influence risk of HIV-1 acquisition. This risk appears greatest among non-Caucasian women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant women with low risk of immune disruption were enrolled in a prospective observational cohort. Study visits occurred each trimester and postpartum. Semi-quantitative vaginal cultures and concentrations of cervical cytokines were compared between Caucasian and non-Caucasian women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the second trimester, non-Caucasian women were more likely to be colonized with Gardnerella vaginalis (62% versus 25%, P = 0.02) and non-pigmented anaerobic gram-negative rods (43% versus 8%, P = 0.01). Mycoplasma hominis was more frequently isolated in non-Caucasian women throughout the second (29% versus 4%, P = 0.03) and third trimesters (35% versus 6%, P = 0.04). Non-Caucasian women had higher median interleukin (IL)-10 concentrations throughout the second (128 pg/mL versus 7 pg/mL, P = 0.05) and third trimesters (224 pg/mL versus 7 pg/mL, P = 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-Caucasian women experienced a greater diversity of microorganisms and increased IL-10 in the second and third trimesters.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women & Infants' Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Riana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dutt
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Raker
authors.forename: Brenna L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D058491:Bacterial Load; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000276:immunology*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000276:immunology*; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000276:immunology; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000276:immunology; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000276:immunology; D044469:Racial Groups; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C508609:IL10 protein, human; D016753:Interleukin-10
keywords: Genital immunity; HIV; race; vaginal flora