Abstract
Objective: Bacterial vaginosis is associated with an unexplained loss of vaginal lactobacilli. Previously, we have identified certain vaginal lactobacilli-released phages that can inhibit in vitro other vaginal lactobacilli. However, there is no apparent route for phages to be transmitted among women. The purpose of this study was to identify whether certain Lactobacillus products commonly used by women release phages or bacteriocins that can inhibit vaginal lactobacilli. Methods: From 26 Lactobacillus products (2 acidophilus milks, 20 yogurts, 3 Lactobacillus pills, and 1 vaginal douche mix), lactobacilli were isolated with Rogosa SL agar (Difco, Detroit, MI). From these lactobacilli, phages and bacteriocins were induced with mitomycin C and tested against a collection of vaginal Lactobacillus strains. Results: From the 26 products, 43 Lactobacillus strains were isolated. Strains from 11 yogurts released phages, among which 7 inhibited vaginal lactobacilli. Eleven strains released bacteriocins that inhibited vaginal lactobacilli. While about one-half of the vaginal strains were lysed by bacteriocins, less than 20% were lysed by phages. Conclusions: Some vaginal lactobacilli were inhibited in vitro by phages or bacteriocins released from Lactobacillus products used by women, implying that vaginal lactobacilli may be reduced naturally due to phages or bacteriocins from the environment.
Highlights
From 26 Lactobacillus products (2 acidophilus milks, 20 yogurts, 3 Lactobacillus pills, and 1 vaginal douche mix), lactobacilli were isolated with Rogosa SL agar (Difco, Detroit, MI)
Some vaginal lactobacilli were inhibited in vitro by phages or bacteriocins released from Lactobacillus products used by women, implying that vaginal lactobacilli may be reduced naturally due to phages or bacteriocins from the environment
KEY WORDS yogurt; Lactobacillus pills; vaginal douche mix; bacteriophages hile lactobacilli can be quite common and inconsequential environmental bacteria, lactobacilli indigenous to the human vagina arc beneficial to women’s health. These bacteria normally produce lactic acid that maintains a pH of 4.0-4.5 and prevents vaginal infections caused by other microorganisms
Summary
From 26 Lactobacillus products (2 acidophilus milks, 20 yogurts, 3 Lactobacillus pills, and 1 vaginal douche mix), lactobacilli were isolated with Rogosa SL agar (Difco, Detroit, MI) From these lactobacilli, phages and bacteriocins were induced with mitomycin C and tested against a collection of vaginal Lactobacillus strains. Twenty-six Lactobad//us products were purchased at local pharmacies, grocery stores, and health-food establishments These products included 2 acidophilus milks, 20 yogurts, 3 Lactobacillus pills, and Lactobacillus vaginal douche mix. Lactobacillus species were tentatively identified according to their sugar fermentation patterns compared with the scheme described in Bergey’s Manual and by an assay based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) developed in our laboratory (unpublished data) From these Lactobacillus isolates, both bacteriophages and bacteriocins were induced by the mitomycin C method. Each lysate was tested for its inhibitory effect against a collection of 37 human vaginal Lactobadllus strains, which were isolated from 27 women (1 Native American, 5 Blacks, 5 Asians, and 16 Caucasians)
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