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.