A Reassessment of the Microbial Flora of the Female Genital Tract, with Special Reference to the Occurrence of Bacteroides Species

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Abstract
Vaginal or uterine cervical specimens (212) from randomly selected women were investigated for the presence of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria and yeasts. Anaerobes of possible clinical significance including Bacteroidaceae, Peptococcaceae and clostridia were isolated from 34% of the specimens and were identified to specific or generic level. Among the Bacteroidaceae isolated, B. bivius was the most common, followed by other propionate-negative species. Members of the B. fragilis group were seldom isolated. Of the aerobic or facultatively anaerobic isolates, enterococci and Escherichia coli were most often found. Thus, clinically significant anaerobes, especially Bacteroides spp., are not regular members of the vaginal flora; the species distribution of anaerobes occurring in the genital tract is significantly different from that of the intestinal tract.

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