Population-based assessment of Mycoplasma genitalium in Vietnam – low prevalence among married women of reproductive age in a rural area

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium infection in a population-based study among married women from a demographic surveillance site in a rural geographical area of Vietnam. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Women aged 18-49 years were randomly selected to participate. DNA was isolated from endocervical swabs sampled from 990 participating women. The M. genitalium MgPa adhesion gene was detected using a real-time polymerase chain reaction with TaqMan probe. RESULTS: Eight (0.8%; 95% confidence interval 0.25-1.35%) of the included women were infected with M. genitalium. Two of these positive women reported clinical symptoms. One additional M. genitalium-positive but symptom-free woman however showed clinical signs of vaginitis. None of the M. genitalium-positive women was concomitantly infected with Chlamydia trachomatis Neisseria gonorrhoeae syphilis or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Furthermore there was no obvious association between M. genitalium infection and vaginal douching use of intrauterine device or occurrence of bacterial vaginosis candidiasis or Trichomonas vaginalis. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of M. genitalium among married women in Vietnam was relatively low. However more large well-designed and appropriately performed studies in other population groups including unmarried women and men and in other geographical areas rural as well as urban are crucial in order to extract any evidence-based conclusions regarding the overall prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including M. genitalium infections in the Vietnamese society. The present study compiled with such future studies may form the basis for a national sexual health strategy for prevention diagnosis and surveillance of STIs including M. genitalium infections in Vietnam.