Potential Modification of Vaginal Microbiome Might Prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Premature Birth

Researchers have identified and examined potential approaches in the modification of the vaginal microbiome inside the female genital tract.

These approaches hope to create a potential cure and prevent diseases and health hazards caused by bacterial vaginosis living inside the female genitalia.

Vaginal Microbiome and Bacterial Vaginosis

(Photo : Sandy Huffaker via Getty Images)

Bacterial vaginosis is a condition carrying an increased risk of various diseases among women, including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Bacterial vaginosis is caused by a harmful vaginal microbiome caused by harmful microorganisms growing inside the female genital tract, as per Medical Express.

The condition is also known for causing premature birth among pregnant women.

Current medicine, including antibiotic treatments, are weak against BV and often result in BV recurrence.

The vaginal microbiome (also called vaginal flora or vaginal microbiota) are the communities of bacteria naturally colonizing the female genital tract.

Although most of this vaginal flora consists of good bacteria known as Lactobacillus crispatus, other harmful bacteria form such as the Lactobacillus iners.

Also Read: Cases of Sexually Transmitted Disease in the US Reached Record High Last Year

Potential Modern Approaches

In a new study published in the journal Nature Microbiology on March 3, researchers focused on L. iners as a potential therapeutic target since it has been postulated to dominate, in some occasions, L. crispatus, one of the good bacteria which brings protection for genital health.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and other colleagues.

The team of experts considers L. iners as a common vaginal bacterial species. However, limited data is available on its morphology and function.

In line with a modern potential approach, the researchers collected more than 1,200 samples of the harmful bacteria from over 300 women in four continents.

They found that the amino acid cysteine is relative to the population of L. iners inside the female genital tract.

The team found that if there is a high cysteine level, there is also a large number of L. iners and a risk of bacterial vaginosis.

On the other hand, if the cysteine level is low-the vaginal microbiome is healthy and poses a lesser risk of bacterial vaginosis due to a small number of L. iners.

Application to Medicine

The identification of the harmful vaginal bacteria species is significantly important for the treatment of STD and HIV in medicine.

Over the past centuries, it was not widely known that some harmful bacteria in the vaginal microbiome also act as catalysts to carry out viruses to infect their hosts.

Using the potential approach targeting the cause of bacterial vaginosis, further studies and related treatment may focus on this area of the vaginal microbiota-leading to a potential cure and prevention of these diseases, as well as premature birth among pregnant women.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said there were approximately 68 million or 20% of the population had contracted STD in the United States back in 2018.

The infection has caused economic damage worth $16 billion in medical expenses.

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