Evaluation of Pathogenic Potentialities and Transmissibility of Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacteria in Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Aims: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) caused by various aerobic and anaerobic bacteria have been reported from many developed and developing countries of the world. However, there is limited data available on the association of these pathogens with STDs on the Indian sub-continent. Therefore, the aim of this is to the presence of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria in sexually transmitted infections.
Study Design: Patients attending the Department of Dermatology, Venereology & Leprology, Calcutta Medical College & Hospital, suspected to be suffering from STDs, were thoroughly examined and those having typical lesions of chancroid were excluded from further work. The prevalence of different aerobic and anaerobic bacteria was determined from among the remaining patients after ruling out cases of chancres.
Place and Duration of Study: This work was carried out in the Department of Oral Medicine, R. Ahmed Dental College; Department of Dermatalogy, Venereology & Leprology, Calcutta Medical College and Hospital; Division of Microbiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University and Department of Microbiology, Herbicure Healthcare Bio-Herbal Research Foundation, Kolkata, for a period of seven months from April 1 to October 31, 2012.
Methodology: At least two smears were prepared from the infected ulcers of each of the patients who were not diagnosed as of chancroid. One smear was for dark ground microscopy and the other for Gram’s staining. Confirmation of chancre was by serological testing, while aerobes/anaerobes were identified following standard procedures.
Results: The organisms isolated were Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella flexneri, Shigella sonnei, Gardenerella vaginalis, Actinomyces spp, Veillonella purvula, Peptococcus heliotrinreducens, Peptostreptococcus magnus and Peptostreptococcus hydrogenalis. These were subjected to tests for their antibiotic sensitivity pattern which was followed by successful specific therapy.
Conclusion: Various Gram positive and Gram negative aerobes and anaerobes were found to be associated with STDs and these were transmissible among homosexual and heterosexual partners.