Bacterial species colonizing the vagina of healthy women are not associated with race

Abstract

The vaginal microbiota of 36 white versus 25 black asymptomatic women were compared using both cultivation-dependent and -independent identification. Significant differences by race were found in colonization and density of bacterial species. However, exclusion of 12 women with bacterial vaginosis by Nugent criteria resulted in no significant differences by race.

Keywords: Asymptomatic BV; Race comparisons; Vaginal microbiota.