title: Identification of culturable vaginal Lactobacillus species among reproductive age women in Mysore, India.
abstract: A healthy vaginal environment is predominated by certain Lactobacillus species, which lead to the prevention of infections of the reproductive tract. This study examined the characteristics of cultivable Lactobacillus species in both healthy women and women with bacterial vaginosis (BV). Between November 2011 and September 2013, 139 women attending a women's clinic in Mysore, India, were evaluated for BV in a cross-sectional study. BV was diagnosed using Amsel's criteria: homogeneous vaginal discharge, vaginal pH >4.5, production of amines, and presence of "clue" cells. Those with three or more of the characteristics were considered to have BV. Vaginal swabs were then cultured in Rogosa agar and de Man-Rogosa-Sharpe broth. Gram-positive lactobacilli generating 600-800 bp amplicons by 16 sRNA were further characterized by sequencing. Cultivable vaginal samples were obtained from 132 women (94.9%). According to the Amsel criteria, 83 women (62.1%) were healthy, and 49 (37.1%) had BV. Eleven different Lactobacillus species were isolated from 47 women. The common lactobacilli species found in this sample included L. crispatus (39.6%), L. gasseri (45.8%), and L. jensenii (14.6%). Lactobacilli were isolated from 39 healthy women and eight with BV. L. gasseri was cultured from 18.8% of healthy women and 6.1% with BV. The presence of L. reuteri was significantly associated with normal vaginal microbiota (P-value = 0.026). These results further our understanding of vaginal lactobacilli colonization and richness in this particular population. Our findings showed that lactobacilli species present in the vaginas of healthy women in India do not differ from those reported from other countries.
authors: Public Health Research Institute of India, Mysore, India.|Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
authors: Purnima
authors: P
authors: Madhivanan
authors: Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
authors: Harry N
authors: HN
authors: Alleyn
authors: Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Raphael
authors: Public Health Research Institute of India, Mysore, India.|Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
authors: Karl
authors: K
authors: Krupp
authors: Public Health Research Institute of India, Mysore, India.
authors: Kavitha
authors: K
authors: Ravi
authors: College of Arts and Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
authors: Roshan
authors: R
authors: Nebhrajani
authors: Public Health Research Institute of India, Mysore, India.
authors: Anjali
authors: A
authors: Arun
authors: Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors: Arthur L
authors: AL
authors: Reingold
authors: Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors: Lee W
authors: LW
authors: Riley
authors: Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
authors: Jeffrey D
authors: JD
authors: Klausner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S