Streptococcus mitis vulvovaginal infections

• Isolated from the human oral cavity (mouth) and human vagina
• May be commensal and benign in the mouth, not normally found in the vagina but linked with oral sex, passing bacteria from mouth to vagina
• May cause dental caries, bacterial infective endocarditis, bacteremia, meningitis, eye infections, and pneumonia
• One case study of Streptococcus mitis transferred to the vagina and amniotic sac via oral sex by someone with known periodontal disease^​1​
• If you have a sexual partner with bad breath or known gum disease, they should go to the dentist and improve their oral health before oral sex is on the table with you as the recipient, but keep in mind if you have bad breath, you may have a mouth infection that can then be passed on
• May be a cause of preterm labour, intrauterine fetal demise, neonatal sepsis, and meningitis
• S. mitis is a member of viridans group streptococci
• Uses a variety of strategies to effectively colonise the human oropharynx, including modulating host immune system and expressing adhesins, immunoglobulin A proteases and toxins
• Opportunistic

References