Aim

This study aims to investigate prevalence of M. genitalium and macrolide resistance-associated mutations and coinfection with other sexually transmitted bacteria in Southern Jutland, Denmark, where this information is very limited.

Experimental design

Urinary samples from patients suspected of sexually transmitted bacterial infections collected at primary healthcare facilities in Southern Jutland are routinely tested for C. trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. 601 of these samples were analysed with SpeeDx MG+23S reagents, which can detect M. genitalium and macrolide resistance-mediating mutations in the 23S rRNA gene. Moreover, 147 C. trachomatis positive urinary samples from routine test were also analyzed with the PCR assay to detect M. genitalium.

Results

72 out of 601 samples were detected positive for C. trachomatis (12%), 5 samples (0.83%) positive for N. gonorrhoeae, and 25 samples positive for M. genitalium (4.2%). 14 of the 25 M. genitalium samples were detected having 23S rRNA gene mutations associated with macrolide resistance (56%). 25 of 147 C. trachomatis positive samples were tested positive for M. genitalium (17%) and two of them were positive for M. genitalium and N. gonorrhoeae (1.4%).

Conclusions

The high prevalence of M. genitalium and macrolide resistance-associated mutation and the coinfection with C. trachomatis in the region suggesting that M. genitalium testing should be included in routine sexually transmitted infection screening.