Correlation between squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) and bacterial vaginosis.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a condition that seldom occurs in prepuberal girls or postmenopausal women, suggesting a hormonal component in its aetiology. The precise mechanisms by which BV arises are not fully understood. One proposed mechanism suggests that carcinogenic nitrosamines act either independently or via human papilloma virus (HPV).