title: Effectiveness of Lactobacillus-containing vaginal tablets in the treatment of symptomatic bacterial vaginosis.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Lactobacillus-containing vaginal tablets in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and in the restoration of a healthy vaginal flora. Thirty-nine women with BV were enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Patients received either one Lactobacillus-containing tablet or placebo daily for 7 days. Clinical criteria, vaginal Gram stain scores and symptoms were compared with those at the initial visit and those at completion of therapy and 2 weeks later. After completion of therapy, all of the patients in the Lactobacillus-treated group (n = 18) were free of BV, showing a normal (83%) or intermediate (17%) vaginal flora, as compared with only two patients free of BV with intermediate flora (12%) from among the 16 placebo-treated women (p <0.001). Two weeks after completion of therapy, treatment was successful (score <7) in 61% of Lactobacillus-treated patients as compared with 19% of those in the placebo group (p <0.05). In the treatment group, the total number of symptomatic patients and the intensity of their symptoms, in particular vaginal malodour, were significantly reduced at both follow-up visits. The data indicate that intravaginal administration of exogenous selected strains of lactobacilli can restore a normal vaginal microbiota and be used in treating bacterial vaginosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Section of Microbiology, Universita Sapienza, Rome, Italy. paola.mastromarino@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mastromarino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Macchia
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meggiorini
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Trinchieri
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mosca
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perluigi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Midulla
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015317:Biogenic Polyamines / Q000032:analysis; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology; D014622:Vaginal Creams, Foams, and Jellies / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D015317:Biogenic Polyamines; D014622:Vaginal Creams, Foams, and Jellies