title: In vitro antimicrobial activities of metabolites from vaginal Lactobacillus strains against Clostridium perfringens isolated from a woman's vagina.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  More than 50 different species of bacteria may live in a woman's vagina, with lactobacilli being the predominant microorganism found in healthy adult females. Lactobacilli are relevant as a barrier to infection and are important in the impairment of colonization by pathogens, owing to competitive adherence to adhesion sites in the vaginal epithelium and their capacity to produce antimicrobial compounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the inhibitory capability of Lactobacillus metabolites against Clostridium perfringens, an anaerobic Gram-positive bacterium. These bacteria were isolated from vaginal swabs by using culture-dependent approaches, and the bacteriostatic effect of Lactobacillus metabolites, extracted from different isolates, was assessed using a modified E test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 100 vaginal swabs, 59 (59%) samples showed the presence of Lactobacillus strains and only one sample contained C. perfringens. Lactobacillus metabolites demonstrated the significant potency of in vitro activity against C. perfringens, with minimal inhibitory concentration values ranging from 15.6 μg/mL to 31.2 μg/mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that women without vaginal Lactobacillus strains may be susceptible to nonindigenous and potentially harmful microorganisms.
authors.affiliation: Health Research Institute, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mansour
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Parastoo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moradi Choghakabodi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alhassan Hamidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Najafian
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. Electronic address: Farajzadehah@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farajzadeh Sheikh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents
keywords: Clostridium perfringens; Lactobacillus; antimicrobial activity; modified E test; vagina