Oral administration of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains of intestinal and vaginal origin to healthy human females: Re-isolation from faeces and vagina

Abstract

The healthy vaginal ecosystem is maintained by the interaction of the vaginal epithelium and the microflora, where lactobacilli and occasionally bifidobacteria play an important role. Imbalances in the dominance of lactobacilli may lead to bacterial vaginosis or yeast vaginitis. Probiotics may be a means to secure a favourable microbial balance in the vagina and, as the normal vaginal flora ascends from the rectal mucosa, a convenient form of administration may be via the oral gastrointestinal route. Ten healthy women of different ages were orally administered a blend of 12 selected Lactobacillus strains and three Bifidobacterium strains originating from the intestine and the vagina. The daily dose of each Lactobacillus strain was 1-3x10 9 CFU and 1x10 8 to 1x10 9 CFU for each Bifidobacterium strain, and the doses were given in an oatmilk/blueberry drink. The treatment went on for 10 days. Samples of faeces and vaginal fluid were taken immediately before the administration was started, after 10 days of administration and 7 days after the termination of the administration. Five strains were recovered from faeces and three from the vagina after treatment. The test strains could be found in 9 of the 10 volunteers. L. plantarum strains, originally isolated from intestinal mucosa, were recovered from the vagina of five subjects after treatment. The L. plantarum strains, together with one strain of L. crispatus and one L . gasseri strain, were recovered from faeces. Key words: Probiotics , Lactobacillus, vagina , oral administration , Bifidobacterium