Gardnerella vaginalis, Fannyhessea vaginae, and Prevotella bivia Strongly Influence Each Other's Transcriptome in Triple-Species Biofilms.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV), the most common vaginal infection worldwide, is characterized by the development of a polymicrobial biofilm on the vaginal epithelium. While Gardnerella spp. have been shown to have a prominent role in BV, little is known regarding how other species can influence BV development.

The Role of Species in Female Genital Tract Infections.

Female genital tract infections (FGTIs) include vaginal infections (e.g., bacterial vaginosis [BV]), endometritis, pelvic inflammatory disease [PID], and chorioamnionitis [amniotic fluid infection].

Microbial interactions among , and prior to incident bacterial vaginosis: protocol for a prospective, observational study.

Introduction: The aetiology of bacterial vaginosis (BV), a biofilm-associated vaginal infection, remains unknown. Epidemiologic data suggest that it is sexually transmitted. BV is characterised by loss of lactic acid-producing lactobacilli and an increase in facultative and strict anaerobic bacteria.

Accurate Absolute Quantification of Bacterial Populations in Mixed Cultures by qPCR.

Quantitative PCR (qPCR) is a well-established technique that allows to accurately quantify nucleic acids or proteins, being widely used in several types of biological samples for bacterial load quantification. However, there are many recent studies that do not consider the potential pitfalls involved in key experimental qPCR stages, namely, those related to the extraction and purification of genomic DNA and to the thermal amplification process, that can lead to biased results in mixed cultures. Herein, we outline a proper protocol for bacterial quantification by qPCR, addressing how to overcome the main issues in that methodology.

Development of a Prevotella bivia PNA probe and a multiplex approach to detect three relevant species in bacterial vaginosis-associated biofilms.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection worldwide. We developed a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probe targeting Prevotella bivia, a common BV-associated bacteria, and optimized a multiplex approach for detection of Gardnerella spp., P.

Vaginal Sheets with Essential Oil for the Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis: Design, Characterization and Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety.

We aimed to incorporate essential oil (TCEO), a potent antimicrobial natural product against bacterial vaginosis (BV)-related bacteria, in a suitable drug delivery system. We used vaginal sheets as dosage form to promote immediate relief of the typical abundant vaginal discharge with unpleasant odour. Excipients were selected to promote the healthy vaginal environment reestablishment and bioadhesion of formulations, while the TCEO acts directly on BV pathogens.

Fighting polymicrobial biofilms in bacterial vaginosis.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common cause of vaginal discharge and is often associated with other health consequences mainly in pregnant women. BV is described by an imbalance in the vaginal microbiota where strictly and facultative anaerobic bacteria outgrow the lactic acid- and hydrogen peroxide-producing Lactobacillus species. The species involved in BV are capable to grow and form a polymicrobial biofilm in the vaginal epithelium.

Assessing recovery rates of distinct exogenous controls for gDNA extraction efficiency using phenol-chloroform or silica-column based extractions.

Assessment of genomic DNA (gDNA) extraction efficiency is required for accurate bacterial quantification by qPCR. Exogenous DNA molecules are often added after bacterial cultures are lysed, but before DNA purification steps, to determine extraction efficiency. Herein we found that different exogenous DNA controls have different recovery rates, suggesting distinct DNA extraction efficiencies.

Exploiting the Anti-Biofilm Effect of the Engineered Phage Endolysin PM-477 to Disrupt In Vitro Single- and Dual-Species Biofilms of Vaginal Pathogens Associated with Bacterial Vaginosis.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most frequent vaginal infection in women of reproductive age. It is caused by the overgrowth of anaerobic vaginal pathogens, such as , , and , which are vaginal pathogens detected during the early stages of incident BV and have been found to form multi-species biofilms. Treatment of biofilm-associated infections, such as BV, is challenging.

In vitro interactions within a biofilm containing three species found in bacterial vaginosis (BV) support the higher antimicrobial tolerance associated with BV recurrence.

Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV), the most common cause of vaginal discharge, is characterized by the presence of a polymicrobial biofilm on the vaginal epithelium, formed primarily by Gardnerella spp., but also other anaerobic species. Interactions between bacteria in multi-species biofilms are likely to contribute to increased virulence and to enhanced antimicrobial tolerance observed in vivo.

Synergistic effects of carvacrol, α-terpinene, γ-terpinene, ρ-cymene and linalool against Gardnerella species.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection affecting women worldwide. This infection is characterized by the loss of the dominant Lactobacillus community in the vaginal microbiota and an increase of anaerobic bacteria, that leads to the formation of a polymicrobial biofilm, mostly composed of Gardnerella spp. Treatment of BV is normally performed using broad-spectrum antibiotics, such as metronidazole and clindamycin.

Crystal Violet Staining Alone Is Not Adequate to Assess Synergism or Antagonism in Multi-Species Biofilms of Bacteria Associated With Bacterial Vaginosis.

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) involves the presence of a multi-species biofilm adhered to vaginal epithelial cells, but its in-depth study has been limited due to the complexity of the bacterial community, which makes the design of models challenging. Perhaps the most common experimental technique to quantify biofilms is the crystal violet (CV) staining method. Despite its widespread utilization, the CV method is not without flaws.

A New PNA-FISH Probe Targeting .

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in women of reproductive age and has been associated with serious health complications, mainly in pregnant women. It is characterized by a decrease in the number of species in the healthy vaginal microbiota and an overgrowth of strict and facultative anaerobic bacteria that develop a polymicrobial biofilm. Despite over 60 years of research investigating BV, its etiology is not fully understood.

Gardnerella and vaginal health: the truth is out there.

The human vagina is a dynamic ecosystem in which homeostasis depends on mutually beneficial interactions between the host and their microorganisms. However, the vaginal ecosystem can be thrown off balance by a wide variety of factors. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in women of childbearing age but its etiology is not yet fully understood, with different controversial theories being raised over the years.