Vaginal flora. A dynamic ecosystem.
The understanding of the dynamics of the genital flora in humans is not yet complete. Of the many extrinsic factors that influence the susceptibility of the female genital tract to colonization by bacteria, sex-hormone secretion is considered of prime importance. Hence the knowledge of any cyclic change in the microbial flora could help in reducing postoperative infections by enabling the surgeon to synchronize the surgery with the phase of minimal growth. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship, if any, of bacterial growth in the vagina and hormonal status. To study the bacterial flora and hormonal status, vaginal swab and serial colpocytology were done on five occasions at intervals of four days. Of 89 women studied, 54 were regularly menstruating, 22 had irregular cycles, and 13 were postmenopausal. An endometrial biopsy was done in all cases on the last day of the smears. The swabs were cultured for the presence of aerobic and anaerobic flora. The smears were stained by the Papanicolaou method to evaluate the hormonal status. The results indicated that there was no correlation between the hormonal status and the growth of bacteria.
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development; D004971:Estrus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D011247:Pregnancy; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears