Mycoplasma genitalium in cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease among women at a gynecologic outpatient service

OBJECTIVE: We sought to analyze the prevalence and clinical manifestations of Mycoplasma genitalium infection in a heterogeneous population of women. STUDY DESIGN: The study was designed as a cross-sectional case-control study. Women attending a gynecological outpatient service from 2003 through 2008 were invited to participate. RESULTS: The prevalence of M genitalium was 2.1% and of Chlamydia trachomatis was 2.8% among 5519 tested women. A total of 679 women were included. Both pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and cervicitis were independently associated with M genitalium (odds ratio, 9.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.62-49.89 and odds ratio, 3.80; 95% confidence interval, 2.06-7.03, respectively). Women with C trachomatis had a higher frequency of both PID (18.3% vs 4.9%, P < .001) and cervicitis (33.4% vs 22.3%, P < .001) than women with M genitalium. CONCLUSION: M genitalium was an independent and strong risk factor for both cervicitis and PID although, compared to C trachomatis, clinical manifestations were less frequent.