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Abstract
Adhesion and penetration of Gardnerella vaginalisinto the male urethral and female vaginal epithelial cells were evaluated in a prospective cohort study of infected females and their sexual partners. Vaginal secretions of 10 women with culture proven G. vaginalisinfection and semen samples of their asymptomatic husbands were analyzed with conventional optical and electron microscopy. G. vaginaliswas isolated in 50% of the male sexual partners of women harboring the microorganism. G. vaginalisadheres to the plasmatic membrane and penetrates into the cytoplasm of both vaginal and urethral epithelial cells. The ability of G. vaginalisto colonize the male lower genital tract may have clinical relevance with respect to the role of the male partner in the reinfection of women.