Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Of the 154 women with reoccurring bacterial vaginosis and aerobic vaginitis, those who took a probiotic supplement in addition to their antibiotic, metrodiazinole, had a 54.3% longer time between reoccurring infections compared to the placebo group. 

probioticsBacterial vaginosis is the most common vaginal infection in women of reproductive age 1. It is caused by a combination of overgrowth of harmful (“anaerobic”) bacteria along with reductions in “good” (Lactobacillus) populations in the vagina 2. When antibiotics are not successful in treating bacterial vaginosis, a secondary infection, called aerobic vaginitis may occur. 3

The standard therapy for bacterial vaginosis is an oral antibiotic called metronidazole 4. But with current treatment success rates of only about 50% and a recurrence rate that frequently exceeds 50% within 6 to12 months after treatment 5,6, finding ways to improve antibiotic effectiveness is needed.

A 2015 study 7 involved 154 women with current as well as a history of reoccurring bacterial vaginosis and aerobic vaginitis infection as well as a history of reoccurrence. They received the standard antibiotic for these infections (metronidazole 500 milligrams twice daily for 7 days) and were also given either a probiotic (73 women) or placebo (81 women) twice daily for 10 days. They were followed up every month for 3 months, during which no antibiotic was given but either the probiotic or placebo was taken once daily for 10 days. The probiotic contained three lactic acid bacteria: L.fermentum 57A, L.plantarum 57B, and L.gasseri 57C.

Each subject underwent a physical exam to assess for reoccurrence of bacterial vaginosis and aerobic vaginitis. Unfortunately, the researchers did not provide the levels of probiotics used (colony-forming units).

Over the course of the 3 months of follow-up, the researchers found probiotic supplementation to have a significant beneficial effect, specifically a 54.3% longer time before infection reoccurred compared to the placebo group (71 versus 46 days, p = 0.0125).

For the researchers, “This study demonstrated that oral probiotics lengthened remission in patients with recurrent BV/AV and improved clinical and microbiological parameters.”

Source: Heczko Piotr B., Tomusiak Anna, Adamski Paweł et al. Supplementation of standard antibiotic therapy with oral probiotics for bacterial vaginosis and aerobic vaginitis. BMC Women’s Health. 2015;15:115 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-015-0246-6.

© Heczko et al. 2015.

Click here to read the full text study.

Posted January 16, 2017.

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com.

References:

  1. Allsworth JE, Peipert JF. Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis: 2001–2004 national health and nutrition examination survey data. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2007;109(1):114-120.
  2. Li J, McCormick J, Bocking A, Reid G. Importance of vaginal microbes in reproductive health. Reproductive Sciences. 2012;19(3):235-242.
  3. Tempera G, Furneri PM. Management of aerobic vaginitis. Gynecologic and obstetric investigation. 2010;70(4):244-249.
  4. Oduyebo OO, Anorlu RI, Ogunsola FT. The effects of antimicrobial therapy on bacterial vaginosis in non‐pregnant women. The Cochrane Library. 2009.
  5. Bradshaw CS, Morton AN, Hocking J, et al. High recurrence rates of bacterial vaginosis over the course of 12 months after oral metronidazole therapy and factors associated with recurrence. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2006;193(11):1478-1486.
  6. Han C, Wu W, Fan A, et al. Diagnostic and therapeutic advancements for aerobic vaginitis. Archives of gynecology and obstetrics. 2015;291(2):251-257.
  7. Heczko PB, Tomusiak A, Adamski P, et al. Supplementation of standard antibiotic therapy with oral probiotics for bacterial vaginosis and aerobic vaginitis: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. BMC women’s health. 2015;15(1):1.