title: Vaginal microbiota and viral sexually transmitted diseases.
abstract: Healthy vaginal microbiota is an important biological barrier to pathogenic microorganisms. When this predominantly Lactobacillus community is disrupted, decreased in abundance and replaced by different anaerobes, bacterial vaginosis (BV) may occur. BV is associated with prevalence and incidence of several sexually transmitted infections. This review provides background on BV, discusses the epidemiologic data to support a role of altered vaginal microbiota for acquisition of sexually transmitted diseases and analyzes mechanisms by which lactobacilli could counteract sexually transmitted viral infections.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Section of Microbiology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nardis
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mosca
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mastromarino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D060085:Coinfection; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D064307:Microbiota; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D015231:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D015163:Superinfection; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D055815:Young Adult