Abstract

POLANCO, Nina; LOPEZ, Thamayra; URBINA, Gidalia  and  CARMONA, Oswaldo. Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis isolated from patients with vaginitis. Rev. Soc. Ven. Microbiol. [online]. 2008, vol.28, n.1, pp.43-47. ISSN 1315-2556.

Vaginitis is a common diagnosis in the centers of gynecological attention. It is due to several causes, some even unknown. Bacteroides fragilis is the most important anaerobe in clinical practice; some strains produce an enterotoxin associated with diarrhea. Enterotoxigenic B. fragilis has been isolated from intestinal as well as extra intestinal samples. Because inflammatory processes unknown etiology it was investigated B. fragilis in the cervical-vaginal mucous in the patients with vaginitis. 140 samples were processed from symptomatic patients and 40 from healthy controls. 15 strains of B. fragilis were isolated from symptomatic patients while none were found in controls (P<0,05). These strains were cultivated in anaerobic chambers, cultured in brain heart infusion supplemented with vitamin K1 and hemine during 48 hours at 36°C. Supernatant were obtained by centrifugation and its activity assayed in HT-29 cells. Twelve (80%) of the isolated induced alterations in target cell morphology characterized by cell detachment, breakup of cell clumps, expansion and degradation of cells, some cases revealed a higher cytotoxic activity than the positive control. In seven patients enterotoxigenic B. fragilis was not associated to specific pathogens. The presence of enterotoxigenic B. fragilis in patients with vaginitis raises the necessity to define its role in the etiology of this clinical entity.

Keywords : Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis; vaginitis; leukorrhea; HT-29 cells.