TY - JOUR
T1 - Gonococcal bacterial load in PrEP users with Mycoplasma genitalium coinfection
AU - Van Dijck, Christophe
AU - De Baetselier, Irith
AU - Cuylaerts, Vicky
AU - Buyze, Jozefien
AU - Laumen, Jolein
AU - Vuylsteke, Bea
AU - Kenyon, Chris
N1 - CPDF
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - OBJECTIVES: Gonococcal infections with a higher bacterial load may pose a higher risk of transmission. We assessed the association between gonococcal bacterial load and coinfection with Mycoplasma genitalium.METHODS: From September 2015 until May 2018, 200 men and transgender women who have sex with men participated in an HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) demonstration trial in Antwerp, Belgium. They underwent 3-monthly 3-site (anus, urine, and pharynx) molecular testing for N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis and M. genitalium, irrespective of symptoms. Gonococcal bacterial load was determined on remnant DNA extracts using an in-house quantitative PCR. Results were expressed as log10 transformed copies/mL and analyzed with a linear regression model.RESULTS: Gonococcal bacterial load could be determined for 82 (80.4%) of 102 anal, 17 (73.9%) of 23 urine, and 64 (90.1%) of 71 pharyngeal samples. M. genitalium was detected in five of these anal, two urine, and two pharyngeal samples and C. trachomatis was detected in 16 anal, one urine, and two pharyngeal samples. Gonococcal bacterial load was significantly higher in the presence of M. genitalium (difference 0.92 log copies/mL, 95% CI 0.16-1.67).CONCLUSIONS: Gonococcal bacterial load was higher with M. genitalium coinfection. M. genitalium may thus be a cofactor in gonococcal transmission.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Gonococcal infections with a higher bacterial load may pose a higher risk of transmission. We assessed the association between gonococcal bacterial load and coinfection with Mycoplasma genitalium.METHODS: From September 2015 until May 2018, 200 men and transgender women who have sex with men participated in an HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) demonstration trial in Antwerp, Belgium. They underwent 3-monthly 3-site (anus, urine, and pharynx) molecular testing for N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis and M. genitalium, irrespective of symptoms. Gonococcal bacterial load was determined on remnant DNA extracts using an in-house quantitative PCR. Results were expressed as log10 transformed copies/mL and analyzed with a linear regression model.RESULTS: Gonococcal bacterial load could be determined for 82 (80.4%) of 102 anal, 17 (73.9%) of 23 urine, and 64 (90.1%) of 71 pharyngeal samples. M. genitalium was detected in five of these anal, two urine, and two pharyngeal samples and C. trachomatis was detected in 16 anal, one urine, and two pharyngeal samples. Gonococcal bacterial load was significantly higher in the presence of M. genitalium (difference 0.92 log copies/mL, 95% CI 0.16-1.67).CONCLUSIONS: Gonococcal bacterial load was higher with M. genitalium coinfection. M. genitalium may thus be a cofactor in gonococcal transmission.
U2 - 10.1177/09564624211048678
DO - 10.1177/09564624211048678
M3 - A1: Web of Science-article
C2 - 34727757
JO - International Journal of STD & AIDS
JF - International Journal of STD & AIDS
SN - 0956-4624
M1 - 9564624211048678
ER -