Gardnerella

Gardnerella
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Bacteria Phylum: Actinobacteria Order: Bifidobacteriales Family: Bifidobacteriaceae Genus: Gardnerella Species: G. vaginalis
Binomial name
Gardnerella vaginalis (Gardner and Dukes 1955) Greenwood and Pickett 1980

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];

Overview

Gardnerella is a genus of gram-variable bacteria of which Gardnerella vaginalis is the only species. Gardnerella vaginalis can cause bacterial vaginosis in some women.

Gardnerella vaginalis, formerly known as Haemophilus vaginalis and Corynebacterium vaginale, is a facultative anaerobic, nonmotile, pleomorphic gram-negative to gram-variable rod bacteria. It is a well-recognized colonizer of the female genital tract and survives high pH. It also survives poorly in human urine at 37 degrees C. G. vaginalis was first recognized by Leopold and named Haemophilus vaginalis by Gardner and Dukes in 1955 because it was isolated on human blood bilayer agar media.

This method of isolation did not yield great amounts of bacteria and therefore, was introduced with Tween 80 (HBT medium) or without Tween 80 (HB medium). HB medium consists of a basal layer of Columbia agar base containing colistin and naladixic acid with added amphotericin B and an overlayer of the same composition plus 5% human blood. HBT agar also contains Proteose Peptone No. 3 (Difco Laboratories) and Tween 80 in the basal layer and the overlayer. Both Tween 80 and the bilayer composition enhanced G. vaginalis production of human blood hemolysis, permitting detection of this organism even in the presence of heavy growth of other vaginal flora. G. vaginalis is resistant to lactobacillus and many antibiotics such as tetracycline. Thus, it is important to sequence its genome to find out what makes it resistant and what genes are expressed in the genome that makes it resistant.

Laboratory Findings

Culture

Once classified as a species of Haemophilus, G. vaginalis grows as small, circular, convex, gray colonies on chocolate agar; it will also grow on HBT agar. A selective medium for G. vaginalis is colistin-oxolinic acid blood agar.

While typically isolated in genital cultures, it may also be detected from other sources, such as blood, urine and pharynx. Although a chief cause of bacterial vaginosis, it may be isolated from women without any signs or symptoms of infection.

Microscopy

Under the microscope it appears as a gram-negative rod, although it has been reported to have a gram-positive cell wall. It is associated microscopically with clue cells, which are epithelial cells covered in bacteria.

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Shown below is an image of clue cells

Clue cells (Gardnerella Vaginalis)

Reactions

Infections with G. vaginalis go along with proteolysis, giving nitrous products such as cadaverines and putrescines, which can cause a bad smell and loss of water.

Treatment

Medical Therapy

One method of treatment is metronidazole.

References

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