Australian scientists have identified two contributors to recurrent bacterial vaginosis (BV) infections, a common sexual health condition affecting about one in four women globally. This research builds on a previous breakthrough that established BV can be sexually transmitted by male partners.
Background on Bacterial Vaginosis
BV is characterized by an imbalance of naturally occurring bacteria in the vagina, leading to a reduction of "good" bacteria and an overgrowth of mixed bacteria. In March 2022, researchers published a landmark study showing that concurrent treatment of women with BV and their male partners using antibiotics reduced recurrence rates by more than 60%.
New Research Findings
In their latest study, published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women’s Health, the same research team sought to understand why approximately 20% of women treated concurrently with their partners did not achieve a cure. The study involved 188 couples, where women received a weeklong course of oral antibiotics and men were treated with both oral and topical antimicrobials.
The research identified two distinct pathways to recurring BV:
- Persistence of infection despite treatment.
- Re-infection from partners.
Key Insights
Dr. Lenka Vodstrcil, the study's lead author and a senior research fellow at Monash University and Bayside Health’s Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, stated:
“"For about two-thirds of women, the day after they finish treatment, they return to an optimal vaginal microbiome, characterized by an abundance of healthy Lactobacilli bacteria."
