Epidemiology and Infection

Table of Contents - June 2012 - Volume 140, Issue 06  

Viruses and mycoplasma

Mycoplasmas in the urine of HIV-1 infected men

W. JIAN-RUa1, W. BEIa1 c1, C. HAOa1, X. JIN-SHUIa2 and H. XI-PINGa2

a1 Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education; Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China

a2 Jiangsu Centers for Diseases Prevention and Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China

SUMMARY

The aim of this study was determine the prevalence of Mycoplasma hominis, M. genitalium, M. fermentans, M. pirum, M. penetrans and Ureaplasma urealyticum in HIV-infected patients. Culture and PCR were used to detect six species of Mycoplasma in first-void urine of HIV-1 infected men. A total of 497 HIV/AIDS patients (age range 5–75 years, mean 37 years) were screened in the study. All presented positive for at least one kind of mycoplasma, especially U. urealyticum and M. hominis. Six mycoplasmas were significant in the homosexual contact and heterosexual contact groups. The distribution of M. hominis, M. penetrans, and M. pirum were significantly different in this four-transmission category. CD4+ cell count levels were lower in the AIDS-associated Mycoplasma-positive group than in the Mycoplasma-negative group (P<0·01). This study indicates that U. urealyticum, M. hominis and M. fermentans are prevalent in HIV-1-infected male patients. This may be an indication of whether mycoplasmas are co-factors in the progression of HIV disease.

(Accepted May 17 2011)

(Online publication July 27 2011)

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Correspondence:

c1 Author for correspondence: Professor W. Bei, Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. (Email: wangbeilxb@seu.edu.cn)

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