Bacterial Vaginosis
Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is a complex clinical condition which is
associated with symptoms of odor, discharge, and itching or pain in or
around the vagina. While it is the most common vaginal condition in
women aged 14-49, there may not be any symptoms
present33.
BV is treated with antibiotics, but it often returns after treatment.Lactobacillus crispatus is capable of inhibiting BV associated
bacteria (BVAB) growth in
vivo34,
while other Lactobacillus species appear to inhibit BVAB less
effectively30.
This indicates that those with Lactobacillus dominated
communities have lower risk for BV than those with a diverse community.
However, Black and Hispanic individuals are more likely to have BVAB
present in their vaginal communities regardless of BV symptoms and
diagnosis5,35,36.
It is unclear how the healthy, diverse vaginal community impacts BVAB
populations or risk for subsequent BV diagnosis.