Vaginal Bacteria Guard Against Chlamydia Infection
Researchers have now discovered a mechanism for differences in the protective effects of vaginal Lactobacillus bacterial species in preventing chlamydial infections.
Humans are meta organisms or superorganisms, which means that each human is an ecosystem containing billions of microorganisms that live in and on us. These organisms are is called the microbiome or microbiota. Researchers are beginning to understand how these organisms contribute to overall health and disease, and how they affect our responses to medicine or therapeutic interventions. Some species of vaginal Lactobacillus bacterial species protect against chlamydial infection and some do not. Researchers have now discovered that the key to this protection is in the metabolism of the bacteria and their production of specific chemical forms, called isomers, of lactic acid. Like many organic molecules, lactic acid can be produced as an L isomer or a D isomer.
Research led by Jacques Ravel showed that only D-lactic acid was protective. The protective species of Lactobacillus (L. crispatus and L…
