scholarly journals Mucosal Immunity in the Female Genital Tract, HIV/AIDS

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Reis Machado ◽  
Marcos Vinícius da Silva ◽  
Camila Lourencini Cavellani ◽  
Marlene Antônia dos Reis ◽  
Maria Luiza Gonçalves dos Reis Monteiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mucosal Immunity ◽  
Genital Tract ◽  
Hiv Transmission ◽  
Female Genital Tract ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Systemic Spread ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Female Genital ◽  
Hiv Aids

Mucosal immunity consists of innate and adaptive immune responses which can be influenced by systemic immunity. Despite having been the subject of intensive studies, it is not fully elucidated what exactly occurs after HIV contact with the female genital tract mucosa. The sexual route is the main route of HIV transmission, with an increased risk of infection in women compared to men. Several characteristics of the female genital tract make it suitable for inoculation, establishment of infection, and systemic spread of the virus, which causes local changes that may favor the development of infections by other pathogens, often called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The relationship of these STDs with HIV infection has been widely studied. Here we review the characteristics of mucosal immunity of the female genital tract, its alterations due to HIV/AIDS, and the characteristics of coinfections between HIV/AIDS and the most prevalent STDs.

scholarly journals Breech at the Border: An Atypical Case of Invasive Haemophilus influenzae in a Patient on a Novel Immunotherapeutic

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Howard-Anderson ◽  
Sarah W Satola ◽  
Matthew H Collins
Keyword(s):  
Haemophilus Influenzae ◽  
Mucosal Immunity ◽  
Genital Tract ◽  
Female Genital Tract ◽  
Interleukin 17 ◽  
Immunomodulatory Treatment ◽  
Atypical Case ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Systemic Infections ◽  
Female Genital

Abstract Haemophilus influenzae rarely causes pyogenic infections in the female genital tract, and even less commonly does this lead to systemic infections. Novel monoclonal antibody therapies targeting interleukin-17 may impair mucosal immunity, but increased risk for H. influenzae infections has not been documented. Here, we describe a case of H. influenzae bacteremia associated with pyosalpinx and hypothesize that immunomodulatory treatment for psoriasis predisposed our patient to this infection.

scholarly journals Vaginal, Cervical and Uterine pH in Women with Normal and Abnormal Vaginal Microbiota

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 90
Author(s):  
Malene Risager Lykke ◽  
Naja Becher ◽  
Thor Haahr ◽  
Ebbe Boedtkjer ◽  
Jørgen Skov Jensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Genital Tract ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Female Genital Tract ◽  
Uterine Cavity ◽  
Vaginal Microbiota ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Ph Gradient ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Female Genital

Introduction: Healthy women of reproductive age have a vaginal pH around 4.5, whereas little is known about pH in the upper genital tract. A shift in the vaginal microbiota may result in an elevated pH in the upper genital tract. This might contribute to decreased fertility and increased risk of preterm birth. Therefore, we aimed to measure pH in different compartments of the female genital tract in both nonpregnant and pregnant women, stratifying into a normal and abnormal vaginal microbiota. Material and methods: In this descriptive study, we included 6 nonpregnant, 12 early-pregnant, and 8 term-pregnant women. A pH gradient was recorded with a flexible pH probe. An abnormal vaginal microbiota was diagnosed by a quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique for Atopobium vaginae; Sneathia sanguinegens; Leptotrichia amnionii; bacterial vaginosis-associated bacterium 1, 2, 3, and TM7; and Prevotella spp. among others. Results: In all participants we found the pH gradient in the lower reproductive canal to be most acidic in the lower vagina and most alkaline in the upper uterine cavity. Women with an abnormal vaginal microbiota had an increased pH in the lower vagina compared to the other groups. Conclusions: There is a pronounced pH gradient within the female genital tract. This gradient is not disrupted in women with an abnormal vaginal microbiota.

scholarly journals A Randomized Trial to Assess Anti-HIV Activity in Female Genital Tract Secretions and Soluble Mucosal Immunity Following Application of 1% Tenofovir Gel

PLoS ONE ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. e16475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marla J. Keller ◽  
Rebecca P. Madan ◽  
N. Merna Torres ◽  
Melissa J. Fazzari ◽  
Sylvia Cho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Trial ◽  
Mucosal Immunity ◽  
Genital Tract ◽  
Female Genital Tract ◽  
Tenofovir Gel ◽  
Anti Hiv ◽  
Female Genital

scholarly journals Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate and the Vaginal Microbiome as Modifiers of Tenofovir Diphosphate and Lamivudine Triphosphate Concentrations in the Female Genital Tract of Ugandan Women: Implications for Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate/Lamivudine in Preexposure Prophylaxis

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (8) ◽  
pp. 1717-1724 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie R Nicol ◽  
Prosperity Eneh ◽  
Rita Nakalega ◽  
Thomas Kaiser ◽  
Samuel Kabwigu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medroxyprogesterone Acetate ◽  
Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate ◽  
Genital Tract ◽  
Female Genital Tract ◽  
Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate ◽  
Preexposure Prophylaxis ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Vaginal Swabs ◽  
Tenofovir Diphosphate ◽  
Female Genital

Abstract Background Effective concentrations of antiretrovirals in the female genital tract (FGT) are critical for suppression of viral shedding or effective preexposure prophylaxis. The disposition of tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP) and emtricitabine triphosphate (FTC-TP) in the FGT have been previously described. Despite widespread use, however, lamivudine triphosphate (3TC-TP) exposure in the FGT is unknown. Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) and vaginal dysbiosis have been implicated in increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition, but whether they alter TFV-DP or 3TC-TP exposure, and therefore compromise prevention efficacy, is unknown. Methods Fifty premenopausal women living with HIV in Kampala, Uganda, and receiving daily tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/lamivudine were recruited. Ectocervical biopsies were obtained for quantification of TFV-DP and 3TC-TP using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was performed on DNA extracted from vaginal swabs. Wilcoxon rank-sum was used to test for differences between contraceptive groups. Results 3TC-TP concentrations were on average 17-fold greater than TFV-DP concentrations in cervical tissues. TFV-DP concentrations in cervical biopsies were 76% greater in DMPA users compared with women using nonhormonal contraception (n = 23 per group). Abundance of Lactobacillus in vaginal swabs was correlated with 3TC-TP concentrations in cervical tissues. Conclusions We found that TFV-DP concentrations were significantly greater in DMPA users compared with women using nonhormonal contraception, suggesting that prevention efficacy is unlikely to be compromised by DMPA use. Similar to reports of FTC-TP, 3TC-TP exposure was significantly greater than TFV-DP in cervical tissue and was correlated with abundance of Lactobacillus. These data support lamivudine as an option for preexposure prophylaxis. Clinical Trials Registration NCT03377608.

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