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Modeling Gardnerella Host-Pathogen Interaction: Characterization Of Vaginolysin And The Opacity Phenotype, Erin M. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) describes a dysbiotic state of the vaginal mucosa, during which the dominance by beneficial lactobacilli species is lost, the vaginal pH increases, and the flora comprising the vaginal microbiome becomes more diverse. Bacterial taxa associated with this dysbiotic state interact to form a dense polymicrobial biofilm on the surface of the vaginal epithelium. This shift in the vaginal microflora is clinically important, even when symptoms are not noted, as women with BV are at increased risk for acquisition of other sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and are more than two times as likely to experience preterm birth. …