ArticlePloS one2019
Association between vaginal washing and vaginal bacterial concentrations.
Article in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Lactic acid-containing products for bacterial vaginosis and their impact on the vaginal microbiota: A systematic review.PloS one · 2021Pooled it
- Influence of Hormonal Contraceptive Use and HIV on Cervicovaginal Cytokines and Microbiota in Malawi.mSphere · 2023Trial
- Shaping the Female Microbiome: A Review of Lifestyle Factors Influencing the Vaginal, Gut, Oral, and Skin Microenvironments.Microbial ecology · 2026Review
- The vital role of Lactobacillus sp. in vaginal health: Implications for enhanced prophylactic research.Probiotics and antimicrobial proteins · 2026Review
- Prevalence and associated risk factors of bacterial vaginosis among women of reproductive age living with, and without HIV in Lagos, Nigeria.BMC women's health · 2025Article
- The Vaginal Microbiome and Reproductive Health in Adolescents and Adults.Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology · 2025Review
- Influences of gestational diabetes mellitus on the changes in the vaginal microbiota from antepartum to postpartum.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Antimicrobial activity ofPeerJ · 2025Article
- Review
- Crosstalk between the Resident Microbiota and the Immune Cells Regulates Female Genital Tract Health.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Next generation sequencing to examine associations between vaginal washing and vaginal microbiota: A cohort study.International journal of STD & AIDS · 2023Article
- Douching cessation and molecular bacterial vaginosis: a reanalysis of archived specimens.Sexually transmitted infections · 2023Article
- The Vaginal Microbiome in Health and Disease-What Role Do Common Intimate Hygiene Practices Play?Microorganisms · 2023Review
- Bacterial vaginosis: a review of approaches to treatment and prevention.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2023Review
- The association between vaginal hygiene practices and spontaneous preterm birth: A case-control study.PloS one · 2022Article
- Host and Microbiome Interplay Shapes the Vaginal Microenvironment.Frontiers in immunology · 2022Review
- Impact of vaginal douching products on vaginal Lactobacillus, Escherichia coli and epithelial immune responses.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- Association Between Vaginal Bacterial Microbiota and Vaginal Yeast Colonization.The Journal of infectious diseases · 2021Article
- Vaginal microbiota and the potential of Lactobacillus derivatives in maintaining vaginal health.Microbial cell factories · 2020Review
- Elevation of cervical C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 levels is associated with HIV-1 acquisition in pregnant and postpartum women.AIDS (London, England) · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Vaginal washing is a common practice associated with adverse outcomes including bacterial vaginosis (BV) and HIV infection. Prior studies have not examined the associations between vaginal washing and individual vaginal bacteria, or whether these associations are independent of the effect of vaginal washing on BV. The purpose of this study was to characterize the association between vaginal washing and the presence and concentrations of vaginal bacteria associated with optimal and sub-optimal vaginal states. The analysis utilized data from participants in the placebo arm of the Preventing Vaginal Infections trial, which enrolled HIV-uninfected women from the United States and Kenya. Detection of bacterial taxa associated with BV was compared between visits with versus without reported vaginal washing. The effect of vaginal washing on a number of vaginal bacteria differed substantially (p<0.05) between the US and Kenya, so results were stratified by country. In US women, vaginal washing was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of detection of BV associated bacterium 1 (BVAB1) (relative risk [RR] 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15-2.09, p = 0.004), BVAB2 (RR 1.99, 95%CI 1.46-2.71, p<0.001), Mageeibacillus indolicus (RR 2.08, 95%CI 1.46-2.96, p<0.001), Atopobium vaginae (RR 1.34, 95%CI 1.13-1.59, p = 0.001), Leptotrichia/Sneathia species (RR 1.66, 95% CI 1.33-2.09, p<0.001), Megasphaera species (RR 1.78, 95%CI 1.34-2.37, p<0.001) and Gardnerella vaginalis (RR 1.08, 95%CI 1.01-1.16, p = 0.02). No significant association between vaginal washing and bacterial detection was found in Kenyan women. Adjustment for bacterial vaginosis diagnosed by Gram stain did not alter these results. This study provides evidence that the association between vaginal washing and detection of individual bacterial taxa can vary regionally. For some vaginal bacteria, the association with vaginal washing may be independent of the effect on Gram stain detection of BV. Larger prospective studies in diverse geographic settings should explore whether eliminating vaginal washing impacts the presence and concentrations of key vaginal bacteria.
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