Characterization of the vaginal microflora

The microbial flora of the vagina affects the health of women, their fetuses, and newborns. Conventional culture methods failed to detect some fastidious vaginal bacteria, leading to an incomplete picture of the diversity of the vaginal microflora. DNA-based identification methods have facilitated the detection and identification of bacteria without cultivation, and the advantages and limitations of this approach are described. Recently, molecular studies of the vaginal microflora have discovered several uncultivated bacterial species. An important new insight which stems from our research efforts is the discovery that there is a strong association between bacterial vaginosis and the presence of a thus far unrecognized species, i.e. the strictly anaerobe and very fastidious Gram positive coccus Atopobium vaginae. Also Dialister, Leptotrichia and Megasphaera species were commonly found in women with bacterial vaginosis. Another research group (77) found that several unknown bacteria in the Clostridiales order were found to be highly specific indicators of bacterial vaginosis and suggested that these might be possible candidates for future PCR-based diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis. In addition, the comparison of traditional methods, i.e. microscopy and culture, with DNA-based techniques for characterization of the vaginal microflora have allowed us to refine Gram stain based grading of vaginal smears. We pointed out the presence of sub-categories within what was designated as grade I normal microflora, pinpointed especially a distinct cell type related to Lactobacillus crispatus (grade Ia) and described an additional category (grade I-like) related to the predominant presence of Bifidobacterium spp. Already molecular analysis of bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria has contributed to the refined described description of normal and disturbed vaginal microflora, but it remains to be seen whether it will succeed in elucidating the etiology of bacterial vaginosis. Our study showed that culture remains essential and the most complete picture of the composition of complex microbial communities is obtained by the combination of culture-based with culture-independent approaches. From the findings during the last five years, it is already obvious that a more complete understanding of vaginal microbial populations will lead to better strategies to maintain healthy vaginal microflora and might create opportunities to explore the role of previously unknown bacteria in reproductive tract diseases.

Author dc:creator

• Verhelst, Rita

Contributors dc:contributor

• Vaneechoutte, M
• Temmerman, M

Statement dc:rights

• info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Language dc:language

und

Identifier

https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/472216
http://doi.org/1854/5400
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/472216/file/1878085

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:archive.ugent.be:472216