Rapid and Profound Shifts in the Vaginal Microbiota Following Antibiotic Treatment for Bacterial Vaginosis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common polymicrobial disease associated with numerous negative reproductive health outcomes, including an increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus acquisition. BV is treatable with antibiotics, but relapse is common. A more detailed understanding of bacterial dynamics during antibiotic therapy for BV could identify conditions that favor establishment, maintenance, and eradication of BV-associated bacterial species, thereby improving treatment outcomes.

Methods

We used mathematical models to analyze daily quantitative measurements of 11 key bacterial species during metronidazole treatment for 15 cases of BV.

Results

We identified complete reorganization of vaginal bacterial composition within a day of initiating therapy. A

SUBMITTER: Mayer BT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4539900 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature