Studies by B.M. Tavaresmurta and co-authors describe new findings in bacterial vaginosis.

In this recently published article, scientists in Uberaba, Brazil conducted a study "To evaluate the local immune response in patients with bacterial vaginosis (BV) and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), as assessed by cytokine and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations. Patients attending for routine gynaecological examination were prospectively enrolled in groups: BV (n = 25) diagnosed by clinical criteria, CIN graded I to III (n = 35, 6 CIN 1, 8 CIN 11 and 21 CIN 111) by histological analysis, and controls (n = 15) without clinical and cytological findings."

"Randomly selected patients within CIN group at grades 11 or III (n = 15) were re-evaluated at 60 days after surgical treatment. Endocervical (EC) and vaginal secretion samples were collected by cytobrush and the levels of cytokines (ELISA) and NO metabolite (Griess reaction) were assayed. NO was assessed in all subjects, and cytokines in all controls, 15 BV and 30 CIN patients. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and nitrite levels were higher in EC than in vaginal secretions in BV and CIN groups. In CIN group, IL-8, IL-10 and nitrite concentrations were greater in EC and/or vaginal secretions than in BV or controls. Surgical treatment reduced IL-8 levels in EC and vaginal secretions. A similar local immune profile was found in BV and CIN groups," wrote B.M. Tavaresmurta and colleagues (see also Bacterial Vaginosis).

The researchers ...