The vaginal microbiota in menopause

Abstract

The adult human is colonized by more than 100 trillion microbes [1], with an estimated 1012 bacteria on the skin, 1010 in the oral cavity, 1014 in the gastrointestinal tract, and 109 in the vaginal vault [2]. In any specific anatomical habitat, colonization is determined by pH, temperature, redox potential, endogenous secretions of lysozyme and immunoglobulins, and levels of nutrients including oxygen and water [3]. Colonization of an anatomical area by a specific microorganism also depends on the ability of the bacterium to adhere to the tissue [2]. Moist interior tissues, protected from the harsh external environment, are ideal habitats; the vaginal vault is colonized within 24 h of a female child's birth and remains colonized until death [4]. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010.