Vaginal microbiota of American Indian women and associations with measures of psychosocial stress.

ABSTRACT: Molecular-bacterial vaginosis (BV) is characterized by low levels of vaginal Lactobacillus species and is associated with higher risk of sexually transmitted infections (STI). Perceived psychosocial stress is associated with increased severity and persistence of infections, including STIs. American Indians have the highest rates of stress and high rates of STIs. The prevalence of molecular-BV among American Indian women is unknown. We sought to evaluate measures of psychosocial stress, such as historic loss (a multigenerational factor involving slavery, forced removal from one's land, legally ratified race-based segregation, and contemporary discrimination) and their association with the vaginal microbiota and specific metabolites associated with BV, in 70 Northwestern Plains American Indi

SUBMITTER: Borgogna JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8664215 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature