Hydrogen peroxide-producing Lactobacillus species in healthy women and in women with bacterial vaginosis

We compare the prevalence of H2O2--producing Lactobacillus species in women with or without bacterial vaginosis. H2O2--producing facultative Lactobacillus species were found in the vaginas of 37 (92.5%) of 40 normal women and 3 (4.1%) of 72 women with BV. Anaerobic Lactobacillus species (which do not produce H2O2) were isolated from 12 (16.6%) of 72 women with BV and 1 (2.5%) of 40 normal women. The production of H2O2 by Lactobacillus species may represent a nonspecific antimicrobial defence mechanism of the normal vaginal ecosystem.