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Role of Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma Species in Female Lower Genital Tract Infections

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Abstract

Genital mycoplasmas are commonly found in the female genital tract. Despite ongoing debate, the evidence that they cause lower genital tract disease in women remains sparse. The data that Mycoplasma genitalium is primarily transmitted sexually are accumulating, but its role as a cause of symptomatic urethritis or cervicitis is open to debate. Although Mycoplasma hominis may be a co-factor in bacterial vaginosis, it has otherwise not been implicated as a cause of lower tract disease. Now that Ureaplasma urealyticum has been divided into U. urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum, their role in causing urethritis and cervicitis remains even more unclear. To date, no convincing evidence exists that antimicrobial therapy should be directed solely at these organisms when treating women with urethritis, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, or cervicitis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Drexel University College of Medicine, 245 North 15th Street, New College Building, 16th Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA

    Meghan Arvind Patel & Paul Nyirjesy

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  1. Meghan Arvind Patel
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  2. Paul Nyirjesy
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Correspondence to Paul Nyirjesy.

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Patel, M.A., Nyirjesy, P. Role of Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma Species in Female Lower Genital Tract Infections. Curr Infect Dis Rep 12, 417–422 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11908-010-0136-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11908-010-0136-x

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