title: Lactobacillus and Pediococcus species richness and relative abundance in the vagina of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The rhesus monkey is an important animal model to study human vaginal health to which lactic acid bacteria play a significant role. However, the vaginal lactic acid bacterial species richness and relative abundance in rhesus monkeys is largely unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vaginal swab samples were aseptically obtained from 200 reproductive-aged female rhesus monkeys. Following Rogosa agar plating, single bacterial colonies representing different morphotypes were isolated and analyzed for whole-cell protein profile, species-specific polymerase chain reaction, and 16S rRNA gene sequence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 510 Lactobacillus strains of 17 species and one Pediococcus acidilactici were identified. The most abundant species was Lactobacillus reuteri, which colonized the vaginas of 86% monkeys. Lactobacillus johnsonii was the second most abundant species, which colonized 36% of monkeys. The majority of monkeys were colonized by multiple Lactobacillus species.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The vaginas of rhesus monkeys are frequently colonized by multiple Lactobacillus species, dominated by L. reuteri.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Gravett
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Sylvia I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Pavlova
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000145:classification*; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000382:microbiology*; D010376:Pediococcus / Q000145:classification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S