Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Clarithromycin-induced alterations in vaginal flora.

K Kurowski1, R Ghosh, S K Singh

  • 1Department of Family Medicine, FUHS/The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL 60064,USA.

American Journal of Therapeutics
|April 24, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Clarithromycin significantly altered vaginal flora in women, decreasing beneficial Lactobacillus and increasing opportunistic pathogens like Candida. This macrolide antibiotic

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Seizures and arterial hypertension in a child: A case of post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis evolving into posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.

Neurology perspectives·2026
Same author

Isolated bilateral facial palsy as the initial presenting manifestation of generalized myasthenia gravis preceding myasthenic crisis.

Neurologia·2026
Same author

Alcoholic Wernicke's encephalopathy with cranial neuropathies, atypical neuroimaging, dry beriberi, and Graves' disease: A novel variant?

Neurologia·2026
Same author

HbE/β-thalassemia presenting with Moyamoya angiopathy-associated ischemic stroke and noncompressive intrathoracic extramedullary hematopoiesis.

Neurology perspectives·2026
Same author

Wernicke's encephalopathy in a non-alcoholic woman from rural India: A rare neurological complication of acute pancreatitis.

Neurology perspectives·2025
Same author

Cockayne syndrome B with axonal sensorimotor polyneuropathy caused by a de novo mutation of the gene ERCC6: A novel phenotypic and genotypic variant.

Neurologia·2025

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Gynecology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Antibiotics can disrupt vaginal flora, potentially leading to infections.
  • Limited research exists on newer macrolide antibiotics' effects on vaginal microbiota.
  • Previous studies often overlooked specific impacts on vaginal lactobacillus.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of clarithromycin on the vaginal flora in women.
  • To specifically assess changes in lactobacillus and other common vaginal microorganisms.
  • To compare clarithromycin's effects with those of older antibiotic classes.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study involving women aged 18-45 years starting clarithromycin therapy.
  • Vaginal cultures (aerobic, anaerobic, fungal) performed before and 4-6 weeks after antibiotic initiation.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Exclusion of participants with conditions known to affect vaginal flora.

    • Main Results:

    • Lactobacillus decreased from 33% to 0% post-treatment.
    • Escherichia coli increased from 8% to 17%; Candida species increased from 17% to 33%.
    • Enterococcus decreased from 25% to 8%; Gardnerella vaginalis remained unaffected.

    Conclusions:

    • Clarithromycin significantly disrupts the vaginal flora, mirroring effects of older antibiotics.
    • The decrease in Lactobacillus and increase in Candida warrant clinical attention.
    • Further research is needed to understand long-term implications for women's health.