Microbiol Spectr 2022 04 29;10(2):e0162621. Epub 2022 Mar 29.
Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Towngrid.7836.a, Cape Town, South Africa.
Cervicovaginal inflammation, nonoptimal microbiota, T-cell activation, and hormonal contraceptives may increase HIV risk, yet associations between these factors and subclinical colonization or hyphae are unknown. We collected cervicovaginal samples from 94 South African adolescents, aged 15 to 19 years, who were randomized to injectable norethisterone enanthate (Net-En), an etonorgesterol/ethinyl estradiol vaginal ring (NuvaRing), or oral contraceptives in the UChoose trial (NCT02404038) at baseline and 16 weeks post-randomization. We assessed cervicovaginal samples for subclinical colonization (by quantitative PCR [qPCR]), hyphae (by Gram stain), microbiota composition (by 16S rRNA gene sequencing), cytokine concentrations (by Luminex), and cervical T-cell phenotypes and activation (by multiparameter flow cytometry). Read More