Vaginal microbial community

The **vaginal microbial community**—also known as the vaginal microbiome or vaginal microbiota—is a complex ecosystem primarily composed of bacteria that inhabit the vagina. In healthy women, this community is dominated by various species from the genus *Lactobacillus* (*L. crispatus*, *L. iners*, *L. gasseri*, *L. jensenii*), which help maintain an acidic environment through lactic acid production.[1][8] This acidity inhibits the growth of pathogenic organisms such as those causing bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases—including HIV—and may also play a role in preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes like preterm birth.[1][2] The composition and balance within this microbial community are dynamic throughout life stages—shifting with hormonal changes during puberty, menstruation cycles, pregnancy, menopause—and can be influenced by external factors such as antibiotics use or sexual activity.[7] Dysbiosis—a disruption characterized by reduced lactobacilli and increased diversity including anaerobic bacteria like Gardnerella or Prevotella—is associated with higher risks for infection,[2] inflammation,[7] impaired fertility,[4], adverse pregnancy outcomes,[1], HPV infection/cervical lesions,[3], and possibly cervical cancer progression.[3]. Therapeutic strategies targeting the vaginal microbial community include antibiotics/antifungals to treat acute infections; probiotics/prebiotics/symbiotic formulations aimed at restoring beneficial lactobacilli; acidifying agents; biofilm disruptors; phage therapy; and experimental approaches like vaginal microbiome transplantation.[5]. However—as a **community/ecosystem** rather than a single molecular entity—the “vaginal microbial community” itself is not considered a classical therapeutic target such as an enzyme or receptor. Therefore: • The entry “Vaginal microbial community” is not a specific molecule/receptor but refers to an entire ecological system. • It should not be classified under standard molecular target categories. • Its clinical relevance lies primarily in its collective function/modulation rather than direct drug targeting. If you require information on specific components within this ecosystem—such as individual bacterial species (*e.g.*, “Lactobacillus crispatus”)—those would be appropriate entries for structured molecular target data. --- **Note:** This entry is marked "incorrect" because it does not refer to a discrete molecule/receptor/enzyme/transporter but rather describes an entire polymicrobial ecosystem whose modulation may have therapeutic implications but does not fit standard definitions used for drug targets.[6].

Other names

Vaginal microbiomeVaginal microbiotaVMB (occasionally used in literature)

Restoration or maintenance of Lactobacillus dominance to lower pH and inhibit pathogen growth via lactic acid production[1][8] - Direct competition with pathogenic microbes (“colonization resistance”)[1] – Immunomodulation by influencing mucosal immunity and inflammation levels[7]