Objectives
Women having a Nugent score of 0-3 have a lower risk of HIV acquisition. Differences in the vaginal microbiota among races in the U.S. and among U.S. and African women have been previously reported. We sought to compare the frequency of five targeted vaginal microbes in U.S. and Zimbabwean women having normal Nugent scores.
Methods
Vaginal swabs for Nugent score and quantitative PCR (qPCR) were collected from asymptomatic, healthy women aged 18-35 in Pittsburgh, PA (US) (N=200) and Harare, Zimbabwe (ZIM) (N=199) who were confirmed to be free of exogenous hormones and in the follicular phase of menses by mass spectrometry. Bacterial DNA was extracted from vaginal swabs, combined with species-specific primers and master mix containing SYBR green binding dye for qPCR detection of Lactobacillus crispatus, L. iners, Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae and Megasphaera-like bacterium phylotype I. Women were stratified by self-reported race. Results were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test for detection of organisms.
Methods
Vaginal swabs for Nugent score and quantitative PCR (qPCR) were collected from asymptomatic, healthy women aged 18-35 in Pittsburgh, PA (US) (N=200) and Harare, Zimbabwe (ZIM) (N=199) who were confirmed to be free of exogenous hormones and in the follicular phase of menses by mass spectrometry. Bacterial DNA was extracted from vaginal swabs, combined with species-specific primers and master mix containing SYBR green binding dye for qPCR detection of Lactobacillus crispatus, L. iners, Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae and Megasphaera-like bacterium phylotype I. Women were stratified by self-reported race. Results were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test for detection of organisms.
Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel
Full access? Get Clinical Tree
