Directly relevant to our study, recent work by Hinderfield and colleagues (52) demonstrated that CST IV-associated microorganisms promote paracellular permeability of human ectocervical monolayers with coincident down-regulation of zonulin and occludin expression, leading them to hypothesize that undermining cervical epithelium integrity enhances susceptibility to TV and other STI pathogens (52). Here, HP is linked to sexually transmitted disease.