title: In vitro adherence of Lactobacillus strains isolated from the vaginas of healthy Iranian women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The lactobacilli are a part of the bacterial flora of the human vagina. Detection of normal Lactobacillus species in the vaginas of healthy women in different geographical locations, and evaluation of their specific properties, can aid in the selection of the best species for preventing sexually transmitted diseases in the future. This study was performed to isolate and identify the Lactobacillus species in the vaginas of healthy women and to evaluate the adherence of these lactobacilli to Vero and HeLa cell lines.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 100 women. Bacteria were isolated from healthy women and purified. Phenotypic and biochemical tests were performed to identify the lactobacilli. The Lactobacillus species were detected by molecular methods using polymerase chain reaction amplification of the full length of the 16S rDNA of the isolated bacteria. Several isolates of each species were then selected to study their adherence to Vero and HeLa cell lines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 50 samples taken from healthy women meeting the inclusion criteria, Lactobacillus species were identified in 33 (66%) samples. Of these lactobacilli, 14 isolates were Lactobacillus crispatus, six (18.2%) were Lactobacillus gasseri, nine (27%) were Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and the rest were either Lactobacillus salivarius (6%) or Lactobacillus plantarum (6%). L. rhamnosus showed the greatest adhesion to the cells when compared to the other tested species. All the lactobacilli isolated in this study showed a smaller capacity for cell adherence when compared with control species.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  L. crispatus, L. rhamnosus, and L. gasseri were the dominant Lactobacillus species in the vaginas of healthy women in Iran. L. rhamnosus attached more readily to the cells than did the other species; therefore, this isolate is a good candidate for further studies on the potential health benefits and application of lactobacilli as probiotics.
authors: Health Research Institute, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Department of Virology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors: Elham
authors: E
authors: Mousavi
authors: Health Research Institute, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Department of Virology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors: Manoochehr
authors: M
authors: Makvandi
authors: Health Research Institute, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Department of Virology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Teimoori
authors: Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Angila
authors: A
authors: Ataei
authors: Health Research Institute, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Department of Virology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors: Shokouh
authors: S
authors: Ghafari
authors: Department of Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors: Mahin
authors: M
authors: Najafian
authors: Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors: Ziba
authors: Z
authors: Ourang
authors: Health Research Institute, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Department of Virology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. Electronic address: alirezasamarbaf_78@hotmail.com.
authors: Alireza
authors: A
authors: Samarbaf-Zadeh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: 16S rDNA; Lactobacillus; bacterial adherence; vaginal microflora