Australian scientists have identified two contributors to recurrent bacterial vaginosis (BV) infections, a common sexual health condition affecting approximately one in four women globally. The condition is characterised by an imbalance of naturally occurring bacteria in the vagina.
The new research, published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women’s Health, involved 188 couples. It aimed to understand why some women treated concurrently with their partners were not cured of BV, despite previous findings that such treatment reduced recurrence rates by over 60%.
The study identified two distinct pathways for recurring BV: the persistence of the condition despite a week-long course of antibiotics, and re-infection. Dr. Lenka Vodstrcil, lead author, noted that about one-third of women in the study had microbiomes suggesting they may not have cleared their BV before resuming sex, making them nearly three times more likely to experience recurrence within four weeks.
An intrauterine device (IUD) was used by 30% of female participants, and the study found it could potentially enhance the persistence of BV following treatment in some women, though further research is needed.