[Vaginal bacterial flora under normal conditions and in frequently encountered gynecological pathologies]

The bacterial flora of the female reproductive tract is a central point for the study of infectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology. The vaginal flora contains a large variety of bacterial species, including both aerobic and anaerobic organisms. The reading of the cultures obtained from vaginal specimens in women with genital tract infections is often hard, because some organisms which are normally present in vagina may sometimes involve infectious processes. Bacterial flora was studied in 126 healthy women, in 120 with symptoms of vaginitis, in 28 with inflammation of the cervix and in 102 women previously treated for vaginitis. Comparison among the groups shows little differences in the microbial population between healthy women and patients with genital tract infections. The use of a questionnaire and the obstetrical examination were very important. As quantitative studies are fundamental, the use of methods for semiquantitative bacteriology at least have been necessary to evaluate relationships among vaginal organisms.