In a current study published in the journal Nutrients, researchers in the Republic of Korea reported that oral administration of Lactobacillus probiotics could facilitate the development of Lactobacillus species and lower vaginal dysbiosis in asymptomatic girls.

Study: Lactobacillus Probiotics Increase Vaginal Dysbiosis in Asymptomatic Girls. Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock

Background

Vaginal well being is linked to the bacteria that comprise the vaginal microbiome, and the relative abundance of Lactobacillus species is vital in arresting pathogenic microbes from invading the vagina. Lactobacillus species also play a substantial part in lowering the susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections and other gynecological infections such as bacterial vaginosis. The lactic acid made by Lactobacillus species reduces the pH of the vaginal atmosphere and exhibits immunomodulatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties.

The most normally located Lactobacillus species in the vagina are L. crispatus, L. gasseri, L. iners, and L. jensenii. An abundance of these species indicates a healthful vaginal atmosphere, although dysbiosis entails a lower in the abundance of Lactobacillus species and an enhance in the abundance of anaerobic bacteria such as these belonging to the genera Gardnerella, Prevotella, Megasphaera, Aerococcus, Papillibacter, Eggerthella, Leptotrichia/Sneathia, and Atopodium, which can lead to bacterial vaginosis and urinary tract infections. Consequently, oral administration of probiotics containing Lactobacillus species could lower dysbiosis in the vaginal atmosphere.

About the study

In the present study, the researchers utilised the Nugent score to screen the participants for asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis. The usual symptoms of bacterial vaginosis are irritation, itching, rashes, burning, terrible odor, discomfort, uncommon discharge, and discomfort in the vulvovaginal area and vagina. Nonetheless, close to half the girls who have bacterial vaginosis are asymptomatic.

The Nugent score, which is primarily based on the presence of substantial Gram-good rod-shaped bacteria such as Lactobacillus species and smaller or curved Gram-variable rod-shaped bacteria such as Gardnerella species, is utilised to diagnose bacterial vaginosis in asymptomatic instances. On top of that, molecular techniques of diagnosis such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing the 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) amplicon can aid confirm the diagnosis and determine remedy alternatives for bacterial vaginosis.

Consequently, the researchers utilised Nugent scores to initially categorize the study participants and then carried out quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and subsequent-generation sequencing (NGS) of the 16S rRNA gene applying cervicovaginal fluid samples to validate the microbiota located in the vaginal atmosphere of girls who had vaginal dysbiosis but had been asymptomatic. Folks had been excluded if they had been taking antibiotics or probiotics, had been pregnant, had a history of drug or alcohol addiction, or had been undergoing hormone or immune therapy.

The Lactobacillus probiotic remedy comprised a mixture of strains from 3 species — Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus reuteri, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. Cervicovaginal fluid samples had been collected just before the remedy with Lactobacillus probiotics commenced and then twice at 3-week intervals. Lactobacillus probiotics had been administered for two courses of 3 weeks each and every, and cervicovaginal fluid samples had been collected for NGS, Gram staining, and qRT-PCR at the finish of each and every 3-week course. An further sexually transmitted infection-PCR was carried out for the samples obtained on the final go to.

Final results

The benefits reported that 60% of the girls with a higher Nugent score seasoned improvements in vaginal dysbiosis and showed decrease Nugent scores soon after the administration of two 3-week-lengthy courses of Lactobacillus probiotics. Moreover, the qRT-PCR benefits indicated colonization of the vaginal atmosphere with Lactobacillus species.

The alpha diversity and Nugent score had been positively correlated with vaginal dysbiosis, although the colonization of the vagina with Lactobacillus species was negatively correlated with the Nugent score and alpha diversity as the relative abundance of Lactobacillus species in the vaginal microbiome improved.

The shift from higher to low Nugent scores indicated a alter from vaginal dysbiosis towards eubiosis, which was evidenced by the higher relative abundance of Lactobacillus species in the participants with low Nugent scores and the higher relative abundance of Gardnerella species in the participants with higher Nugent scores.

Conclusions

All round, the benefits recommended that consumption of Lactobacillus probiotics can enhance the colonization of the vaginal atmosphere with Lactobacillus species and enhance circumstances of vaginal dysbiosis in asymptomatic girls. Moreover, the findings indicated that even in instances of no vaginal dysbiosis, Lactobacillus probiotics could aid enhance or retain the abundance of Lactobacillus species in the vaginal atmosphere.

Written by

Dr. Chinta Sidharthan

Chinta Sidharthan is a writer primarily based in Bangalore, India. Her academic background is in evolutionary biology and genetics, and she has substantial knowledge in scientific investigation, teaching, science writing, and herpetology. Chinta holds a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the Indian Institute of Science and is passionate about science education, writing, animals, wildlife, and conservation. For her doctoral investigation, she explored the origins and diversification of blindsnakes in India, as a aspect of which she did substantial fieldwork in the jungles of southern India. She has received the Canadian Governor General’s bronze medal and Bangalore University gold medal for academic excellence and published her investigation in higher-influence journals.

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