[Colonization rates of Mobiluncus spp. in female lower genital tract and its relationship with bacterial vaginosis].

To clarify the colonization rate of Mobiluncus spp., 889 specimens were collected from the vagina and 688 specimens from the cervical canal in three groups of women, namely, non-pregnant women, pregnant women, and patients fulfilling the criteria of bacterial vaginosis. On screening, this organism was detected from the vagina in 18/576 cases (3.2%) in non-pregnant women and in 2/280 cases (0.7%) in pregnant women, and it was detected from the cervical canal in 12/410 cases (2.9%) in non-pregnant women, and 3/278 (1.1%) in pregnant women. Although the positive rates were slightly higher in non-pregnant women from both the vagina and cervical canal, they were not significant. However, in cases of bacterial vaginosis, the positive rate of Mobiluncus spp. was 9/33 cases (27.3%), so that it was significantly higher than in the other two groups. Although the role of Mobiluncus spp. in bacterial vaginosis has not been clarified, our results indicate that the presence of Mobiluncus spp. is abnormal, since its colonization rate in healthy women is too small to be regarded as a member of normal flora. G. vaqinalis and anaerobes (other than Mobiluncus spp.) are also closely connected to bacterial vaginosis. G. vaginalis alone was seen in 7/33 cases (21.3%), anaerobes alone in 7/33 (21.3%), and Mobiluncus spp. alone in 3/33 cases (9.1%). Multiple infections including 2 or 3 of the above organisms were seen in 13/33 cases (39.3%), and all cases had anaerobes. On the other band, only three cases were infected by none of the above organisms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)