Endotoxin and interleukin-1 alpha in the cervical mucus and vaginal fluid of pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis.

• The purpose of our study was to determine the concentrations of endotoxin and interleukin-1 alpha in the cervical mucus and vaginal fluid of pregnant women who either did or did not have bacterial vaginosis.Samples of cervical mucus and vaginal fluid were collected from women in early pregnancy who had signs of bacterial vaginosis and from healthy control subjects. The samples were analyzed for the concentrations of endotoxin and interleukin-1 alpha. In addition, wet mounts were examined for signs of inflammation indicated by increased numbers of leukocytes.Both endotoxin and interleukin-1 alpha occurred in much higher concentrations (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0002) in both the cervical mucus and the vaginal fluid of women with signs of bacterial vaginosis than they did in healthy control subjects. A correlation was found between the interleukin-1 alpha concentrations in the vaginal fluid and the number of leukocytes as judged by a semi-quantitative evaluation of wet mounts (p = 0.0365). The concentrations of endotoxin correlated with those of interleukin-1 alpha in both fluids (vaginal fluid, p < 0.01; cervical mucus, p < 0.01).Our study shows that concentrations of endotoxin and interleukin-1 alpha in cervical mucus and vaginal fluid of women in early pregnancy who have bacterial vaginosis are significantly higher than the corresponding levels in control subjects.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Reproduktionsmedicin och gynekologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinsk bioteknologi -- Biomaterialvetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Medical Biotechnology -- Biomaterials Science (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Body Fluids

metabolism

Cervix Mucus

metabolism

Endotoxins

metabolism

Female

Humans

Interleukin-1

metabolism

Osmolar Concentration

Pregnancy

Pregnancy Complications

Infectious

metabolism

Vagina

metabolism

Vaginosis

Bacterial

metabolism

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)