Vicky Jespers1, Liselotte Hardy, Jozefien Buyze, Jasna Loos, Anne Buvé, Tania Crucitti. 1. HIV and Sexual Health Group, Department of Public Health, the Clinical Trials Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, and the HIV/STI Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of sexual debut and vaginal, anorectal, and oral microbiota and vaginal inflammatory markers in female adolescents. METHODS: We conducted a school-based study in adolescents in Antwerp, Belgium. During three visits over 8 months, participants answered questionnaires and self-collected vaginal, anorectal, and oral swabs. Five Lactobacillus species, Lactobacillus genus, Gardnerella vaginalis, and Atopobium vaginae were quantified; and seven inflammatory markers were measured in the vaginal specimens. In the oral and anorectal specimens, Lactobacillus genus, G vaginalis, and A vaginae were ascertained. RESULTS: Of the 93 adolescents (mean age 16.2 years) at the first visit, 41 (44.1%) had passed sexual debut (penile-vaginal intercourse) and five (5.4%) had sexual experience without passing sexual debut. Having sexual experience at the first visit was not found to be associated with species presence or concentrations (acknowledging an underpowered study because the required sample size was not attained). Modeling the longitudinal data on all girls showed that sexual debut was associated with increased odds of vaginal and anorectal G vaginalis (P=.021; P=.030) and A vaginae (P=.041; P=.012) with increments of interleukins (interleukin [IL]-1α P<.001, IL-1β P=.046, IL-8 P=.033) and chemokines (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted P<.001; macrophage inflammatory protein-1β P=.040), whereas no difference was seen when modeling (before-after) the girls initiating and girls staying without sexual intercourse. The association of sexual intercourse with IL-1α (P<.001), IL-1β (P=.030), and IL-8 (P=.002) at the first visit was (greater than 70%) mediated by vaginal G vaginalis and A vaginae concentrations. CONCLUSION: Sexual debut in adolescents is associated with an inflammatory vaginal reaction and with the presence of bacterial vaginosis-related species. Strategies preventing the colonization of bacterial vaginosis-related organisms during early sexual debut are urgently needed and may prevent acquisition of sexually transmitted infections including human immunodeficiency virus in early life.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of sexual debut and vaginal, anorectal, and oral microbiota and vaginal inflammatory markers in female adolescents. METHODS: We conducted a school-based study in adolescents in Antwerp, Belgium. During three visits over 8 months, participants answered questionnaires and self-collected vaginal, anorectal, and oral swabs. Five Lactobacillus species, Lactobacillus genus, Gardnerella vaginalis, and Atopobium vaginae were quantified; and seven inflammatory markers were measured in the vaginal specimens. In the oral and anorectal specimens, Lactobacillus genus, G vaginalis, and A vaginae were ascertained. RESULTS: Of the 93 adolescents (mean age 16.2 years) at the first visit, 41 (44.1%) had passed sexual debut (penile-vaginal intercourse) and five (5.4%) had sexual experience without passing sexual debut. Having sexual experience at the first visit was not found to be associated with species presence or concentrations (acknowledging an underpowered study because the required sample size was not attained). Modeling the longitudinal data on all girls showed that sexual debut was associated with increased odds of vaginal and anorectal G vaginalis (P=.021; P=.030) and A vaginae (P=.041; P=.012) with increments of interleukins (interleukin [IL]-1α P<.001, IL-1β P=.046, IL-8 P=.033) and chemokines (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted P<.001; macrophage inflammatory protein-1β P=.040), whereas no difference was seen when modeling (before-after) the girls initiating and girls staying without sexual intercourse. The association of sexual intercourse with IL-1α (P<.001), IL-1β (P=.030), and IL-8 (P=.002) at the first visit was (greater than 70%) mediated by vaginal G vaginalis and A vaginae concentrations. CONCLUSION: Sexual debut in adolescents is associated with an inflammatory vaginal reaction and with the presence of bacterial vaginosis-related species. Strategies preventing the colonization of bacterial vaginosis-related organisms during early sexual debut are urgently needed and may prevent acquisition of sexually transmitted infections including human immunodeficiency virus in early life.
Authors: Hans Verstraelen; Pedro Vieira-Baptista; Francesco De Seta; Gary Ventolini; Risa Lonnee-Hoffmann; Ahinoam Lev-Sagie Journal: J Low Genit Tract Dis Date: 2022-01-01 Impact factor: 1.925
Authors: M E Nieves-Ramírez; O Partida-Rodríguez; P Moran; A Serrano-Vázquez; H Pérez-Juárez; M E Pérez-Rodríguez; M C Arrieta; C Ximénez-García; B B Finlay Journal: Microbiol Spectr Date: 2021-10-13
Authors: Suzanna Carter Francis; Tania Crucitti; Tom Smekens; Christian Holm Hansen; Aura Andreasen; Vicky Jespers; Liselotte Hardy; Julia Irani; John Changalucha; Kathy Baisley; Richard Hayes; Deborah Watson-Jones; Anne Buvé Journal: Front Cell Infect Microbiol Date: 2020-06-25 Impact factor: 5.293
Authors: Christina Farr Zuend; Laura Noël-Romas; Sarah Hoger; Stuart McCorriser; Garrett Westmacott; Jeanne Marrazzo; Sharon L Hillier; Charlene Dezzutti; Kathleen Squires; Katherine E Bunge; Adam Burgener Journal: AIDS Date: 2021-03-01 Impact factor: 4.632