Detecting the Diversity of and Endosymbionts Hosted by Isolates.

The symbiosis of and is the first described association between two obligate human parasites. is the niche and the vector for the transmission of infection. This clinically significant symbiosis may affect virulence and susceptibility to treatment. The aims of this study were to investigate the intracellularly present and species in strains isolated from the vaginal discharge of infected women as well as to trace the diversity pattern among the species detected in the isolated strains. Hundred pure cultures were isolated from ~7,500 patient specimens presented with clinical purulent vaginitis. PCR and sequencing for spp. were performed in DNA extracted from the pure cultures. In addition, vaginal discharge samples were cultured for the presence of and . Phylogenetic analysis assisted the identification of interspecies relationships between the and isolates. Fifty four percentage of isolates were harboring spp. Phylogenetic analysis revealed three distinct clusters, two with already characterized and spp. (37% of total spp.), whereas one group formed a distinct cluster matched with the newly identified species (59.3%) and one or more unknown spp. (3.7%). strains associated with vaginal infection might host intracellular mycoplasmas or ureaplasmas. Intracellular Mollicutes that remain undetected in the extracellular environment when conventional diagnostic methods are implemented may comprise either novel species, such as , or unknown species with yet unexplored clinical significance.