Absence of significant cellulase activity in microbial flora of the female genital tract.

It has been postulated that toxic shock syndrome may be mediated by the hydrolysis of certain tampon fibers by bacteria of the female genital tract, leading to the release of glucose that would in turn serve as a substrate for the multiplication of staphylococci producing the toxic shock marker protein (TSST-1). We sought cellulolytic organisms among microorganisms isolated from the female genital tract throughout the menstrual cycle. A total of 288 aerobic and facultative vaginal isolates from 13 healthy female volunteers, aged 18 to 25, and 57 anaerobes from the same sources were screened for cellulase activity. No evidence of production of glucose or degradation of cellulose was found; hence, none of the strains could be described as cellulolytic. A total of 44 organisms (12.7%) showed weak endoglucanase activity as evidenced by minimal changes in the viscosity of the cellulose substrate, but this activity was not reproducible in all of the strains and was inconstantly observed on repeated examination. Five strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from cases of toxic shock syndrome also showed no cellulase activity. Cellulase activity does not appear to be a frequent or regular feature of the microflora of the human female genital tract.