Vaginal microbiota and mucosal environment (VMB)

The vaginal microbiota and mucosal environment constitute a specialized biological system essential for female reproductive and urogenital health. In healthy individuals, this ecosystem is typically dominated by Lactobacillus species, such as Lactobacillus crispatus, which maintain a protective acidic environment (pH <4.5) through the production of lactic acid and antimicrobial compounds like hydrogen peroxide and bacteriocins [1, 3, 13]. This environment serves as a critical barrier against the colonization of pathogens, including those responsible for bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, and sexually transmitted infections such as HIV and HPV [4, 6, 8]. Disruptions to this microbial balance, known as dysbiosis, are linked to adverse outcomes including chronic inflammation, pelvic inflammatory disease, and increased risk of preterm birth [13, 20]. Therapeutic interventions increasingly target this system through live biotherapeutic products (LBPs), probiotics, and biofilm disruptors designed to restore eubiosis and enhance the host's natural defense mechanisms [2, 5, 16]. Understanding the dynamic interactions between the microbiota and the mucosal immune markers is vital for developing precision medicine approaches for gynecological and obstetric health [13, 19].

Other names

Vaginal microbiomeVaginal microfloraVaginal ecosystemVaginal mucosaFemale genital tract microbiomeCervicovaginal microbiota

Restoration of Lactobacillus dominance, acidification of the vaginal environment through lactic acid production, production of antimicrobial compounds such as hydrogen peroxide and bacteriocins, competitive exclusion of pathogens from epithelial binding sites, biofilm disruption, and modulation of local mucosal immune responses [1, 2, 3, 5, 13].