title: Etiology of bacterial vaginosis and polymicrobial biofilm formation.
abstract: Microorganisms in nature rarely exist in a planktonic form, but in the form of biofilms. Biofilms have been identified as the cause of many chronic and persistent infections and have been implicated in the etiology of bacterial vaginosis (BV). Bacterial vaginosis is the most common form of vaginal infection in women of reproductive age. Similar to other biofilm infections, BV biofilms protect the BV-related bacteria against antibiotics and cause recurrent BV. In this review, an overview of BV-related bacteria, conceptual models and the stages involved in the polymicrobial BV biofilm formation will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa.
authors.forename: Hyun-Sul
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa.|b Department of Medical Microbiology, Tshwane Academic Division , National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) , Pretoria , South Africa.
authors.forename: Marthie M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ehlers
authors.affiliation: c Gauteng Department of Health, Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, Wits Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinical Research Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , University of Witwatersrand , Johannesburg , South Africa.
authors.forename: Hennie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lombaard
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa.
authors.forename: Mathys J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Redelinghuys
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa.|b Department of Medical Microbiology, Tshwane Academic Division , National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) , Pretoria , South Africa.
authors.forename: Marleen M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kock
mesh_terms: D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D064307:Microbiota / Q000502:physiology; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: BV; BVAB; Biofilm; Gardnerella vaginalis; pathogenesis