Análisis de biotipos, factores de virulencia y sensibilidad a antibióticos en cepas de Gardnerella vaginalis asociadas y no asociadas a Vaginosis Bacteriana

Abstract

Introduction: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a polymicrobial infection considered as a public health problem that affects women in reproductive age; its main etiologic agent is Gardnerella vaginalis. This bacterium is divided into eight biotypes and produces several virulence factors that favor the development of BV. In addition, an increased resistance to conventional treatment has been reported, which favors the failure to treatment and disease recurrence. Objectives: Analyze the relationship between the virulence factors production, antibiotics resistance and biotypes of G. vaginalis strains associated with normal microbiota (NM) and BV. Materials and methods: We analyzed 150 strains of G. vaginalis; biotyping, biofilm, prolidase, phospholipase C and vaginolysin production were determinated. Additionally, metronidazole and clindamycin resistance was performed by the Kirby-Bauer method and secnidazole by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Results: Biotypes 1 (18%), 2 (13.3%), 5 (17.3%) and 6 (51.3%) were identified. The BVassociated strains produce more biofilm (p=0.026) and have more lithic capacity (p=0.043) that NM-associated strains. No significant difference between virulence factors production and biotypes was observed, with the exception of biotype 2 in phospholipase C production (p=0.0001). BVassociated strains produce more virulence factors in comparison with normal microbiota, especially biotypes 1 and 6, and finally a high resistance rate to metronidazole (100%), secnidazole (95.3%) and clindamycin (90.6%) was observed. Conclusion: A great diversity in the virulence factors production between NM and BV-associated strains was observed, which could contribute during the development of BV; additionally, the high resistance rate may impact in the treatment failure and disease recurrence