Characteristics of the vaginal microbiome in women with and without clinically confirmed vulvodynia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Vulvodynia (idiopathic vulvar pain) affects up to 8% of women by age 40 years, has a poorly understood etiology, and has variable treatment efficacy. Several risk factors are associated with vulvodynia from a history of yeast infections to depression and allergies. Recent work suggests an altered immune inflammatory mechanism plays a role in vulvodynia pathophysiology. Because the vaginal microbiome plays an important role in local immune-inflammatory responses, we evaluated the vaginal microbiome among women with vulvodynia compared with controls as 1 component of the immune system.

Objective

The objective of the study was to characterize the vaginal microbiome in women with clinically confirmed vulvodynia and age-matched controls and assess its overall associati

SUBMITTER: Bedford L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10027365 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature