The vaginal microbiome in relation to perinatal health Ghent University
A healthy vaginal microbiome is characterized by the presence of only lactobacilli that acidify the vagina and protect against infections such as HIV and human papillomavirus (HPV, the virus causing cervical cancer). Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a disturbance of this healthy vaginal microbiome whereby lactobacilli are absent and anaerobes such as Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae predominate. BV is prevalent in about one quarter of ...