The Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol 30, Issue 3 233-236, Copyright © 1989 by Society for General Microbiology
The susceptibility of germ-free, oestradiol-treated, mice to Mycoplasma hominis
P. M. Furr, C. M. Hetherington and D. Taylor-Robinson
Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Clinical Research Centre, Harrow, Middlesex.
Conventionally reared female BALB/c mice, rendered susceptible to
Mycoplasma hominis infection of the genital tract by treatment with
oestradiol, have increased numbers of endogenous vaginal bacteria. The
latter was reflected by the occurrence of bacterial growth in 95 (65.5%) of
145 cultures undertaken to isolate M. hominis from oestradiol-treated mice,
but in only seven (4.8%) of 146 cultures from untreated animals. In
addition, larger numbers of bacteria were seen in vaginal smears from
oestradiol-treated mice than from untreated ones. Furthermore, abscesses
developed in the genital region of 27 (17%) of 155 oestradiol-treated mice
but in none of 50 that were untreated. However, such proliferation of the
endogenous vaginal bacteria was not necessary for colonisation of the
vagina by M. hominis. This was determined by showing that six germ-free,
oestradiol-treated BALB/c mice given 2.5 x 10(5) ccu of M. hominis
intravaginally became colonised vaginally for at least 14 days, with
multiplication and spread of the organisms to the upper genital tract and
elsewhere, whereas six similar untreated mice given the same inoculum
remained uninfected.
