Longitudinal qPCR study of the dynamics of L. crispatus, L. iners, A. vaginae, (sialidase positive) G. vaginalis, and P. bivia in the vagina

To obtain more detailed understanding of the causes of disturbance of the vaginal microflora (VMF), a longitudinal study was carried out for 17 women during two menstrual cycles. Vaginal swabs were obtained daily from 17 non-pregnant, menarchal volunteers. For each woman, Gram stains were scored, th...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2012-09, Vol.7 (9), p.e45281
Main Authors: Santiago, Guido Lopes dos Santos, Tency, Inge, Verstraelen, Hans, Verhelst, Rita, Trog, Marijke, Temmerman, Marleen, Vancoillie, Leen, Decat, Ellen, Cools, Piet, Vaneechoutte, Mario
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Actinobacteria - genetics
Actinobacteria - growth & development
Adolescent
Adult
Agar
Atopobium vaginae
Bacterial Load
Bacteriology
Biology
Cell culture
Correlation analysis
Dynamic tests
Female
Gardnerella vaginalis
Gardnerella vaginalis - genetics
Gardnerella vaginalis - growth & development
Gentian Violet
Gynecology
Health sciences
Humans
Hydrogen
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen Peroxide - metabolism
Immunology
Laboratories
Lactobacillus - genetics
Lactobacillus - growth & development
Lactobacillus crispatus
Lactobacillus iners
Longitudinal Studies
Medicine
Menstrual Cycle
Menstruation
Microbial Consortia - genetics
Microbiota
Microflora
Microscopy
Neuraminidase - metabolism
Obstetrics
Phenazines
Pregnancy
Prevotella - genetics
Prevotella - growth & development
Prevotella bivia
Quality
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
Stains
Studies
Vagina
Vagina - microbiology
Womens health
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:To obtain more detailed understanding of the causes of disturbance of the vaginal microflora (VMF), a longitudinal study was carried out for 17 women during two menstrual cycles. Vaginal swabs were obtained daily from 17 non-pregnant, menarchal volunteers. For each woman, Gram stains were scored, the quantitative changes of 5 key vaginal species, i.e. Atopobium vaginae, Lactobacillus crispatus, L. iners, (sialidase positive) Gardnerella vaginalis and Prevotella bivia were quantified with qPCR and hydrogen-peroxide production was assessed on TMB+ agar. Women could be divided in 9 subjects with predominantly normal VMF (grades Ia, Ib and Iab, group N) and 8 with predominantly disturbed VMF (grades I-like, II, III and IV, group D). VMF was variable between women, but overall stable for most of the women. Menses were the strongest disturbing factor of the VMF. L. crispatus was present at log7-9 cells/ml in grade Ia, Iab and II VMF, but concentrations declined 100-fold during menses. L. crispatus below log7 cells/ml corresponded with poor H(2)O(2)-production. L. iners was present at log 10 cells/ml in grade Ib, II and III VMF. Sialidase negative G. vaginalis strains (average log5 cells/ml) were detected in grade I, I-like and IV VMF. In grade II VMF, predominantly a mixture of both sialidase negative and positive G. vaginalis strains (average log9 cells/ml) were present, and predominantly sialidase positive strains in grade III VMF. The presence of A. vaginae (average log9 cells/ml) coincided with grade II and III VMF. P. bivia (log4-8 cells/ml) was mostly present in grade III vaginal microflora. L. iners, G. vaginalis, A. vaginae and P. bivia all increased around menses for group N women, and as such L. iners was considered a member of disturbed VMF. This qPCR-based study confirms largely the results of previous culture-based, microscopy-based and pyrosequencing-based studies.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0045281