IDENTIFICATION AND PLASMID PROFILES OF LACTOBACILLUS SPECIES FROM THEVAGINA OF 100 HEALTHY WOMEN

It was hypothesized that Lactobacillus acidophilus might not be the do minant aerobic or microaerophilic Lactobacillus species in the human v agina, and that the dominant isolates are likely to express a variety of properties associated with colonization To examine the question, va ginal swabs were collected from 100 healthy premenopausal women and cu ltured to detect the dominant aerobic or microaerophilic isolates of L actobacillus. Only eight species were detected, with Lactobacillus jen senii being the dominant colonizers in the highest number (35) of wome n. Twelve different plasmid profiles were found amongst the isolates, but there was no association between plasmids and vaginal colonization or hydrogen peroxide production. Of the strains tested, few were resi stant to the spermicidal agent nonoxynol-9. The data identify species within which strains may possess properties associated with maintenanc e of a healthy vaginal ecology