Microbiota and Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (original) (raw)

Semin Reprod Med 2014; 32(01): 043-049
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1361822

Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Harsha Sharma

1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mt Sinai School of Medicine Jamaica Program, Queens Hospital Center, Queens, New York

Reshef Tal

2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York

,

Natalie A. Clark

3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

,

James H. Segars

4Program in Reproductive and Adult Endocrinology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland

› Author Affiliations

Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
03 January 2014 (online)

Abstract

Female genital tract microbiota play a crucial role in maintaining health. Disequilibrium of the microbiota has been associated with increased risk of pelvic infections. In recent years, culture-independent molecular techniques have expanded understanding of the composition of genital microbiota and the dynamic nature of the microbiota. There is evidence that upper genital tract may not be sterile and may harbor microflora in the physiologic state. The isolation of bacterial vaginosis-associated organisms in women with genital infections establishes a link between pelvic infections and abnormal vaginal flora. With the understanding of the composition of the microbiota in healthy and diseased states, the next logical step is to identify the function of the newly identified microbes. This knowledge will further expand our understanding of the causation of pelvic infections, which may lead to more effective prevention and treatment strategies.

Keywords

vaginal microbiota - bacterial vaginosis - pelvic inflammatory disease