Association of G. Vaginalis with Female UTI

Gardnerella vaginalis is a fastidious, beta-hemolytic, nonmotile, unencapsulated, rod-shaped bacterium. Originally named Haemophilus vaginalis by Gardner and Dukes, the organism was renamed Corynebacterium vaginale by Zinnemann and Turner in 1963, on the basis of a Gram stain reaction and cell morphology. Subsequent extensive taxonomic studies using biochemical, DNA hybridization assays, and electron microscopy and 16S rRNA gene sequences supported the current taxonomic designation of G. vaginalis and indicated that this bacteriumis closely related to the genus Bifidobacterium. It secretes a toxin vaginolysin as a major virulence factor of G. vaginalis. 

Vaginolysin (VLY), a proteinaceous toxin that lyses human red blood cells and vaginal epithelial cells, is a member of the cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs) family of pore-forming toxins which is found in five different genera of Gram-positive bacteria. CDC or VLY toxin monomers bind to cholesterol-rich membranes and form oligomeric transmembrane pores causing lysis of the eukaryotic cells. Immunoglobulin A-mediated immune responses to the VLY occur during BV and are useful as a marker of the disease .G. vaginalis association has also been implicated detected in intraamniotic and chorioamniotic infections, pelvic inflammatory disease and bladder infection. Some reports have indicated its co-occurance with vertebral osteomyelitis and discitis, retinal vasculitis, acute hip arthritis and bacteraemia. Read more...................