Association between vaginal washing and detection of<i>Lactobacillus</i>by culture and quantitative PCR in HIV-seronegative Kenyan women: a cross-sectional analysis

Abstract

Vaginal washing in the prior week was associated with a significantly reduced likelihood of detecting cultivable <i>Lactobacillus</i> and <i>L. crispatus</i> by qPCR. Given associations between <i>Lactobacillus</i> detection and improved reproductive health outcomes, these results provide motivation for additional study of vaginal washing cessation interventions to improve vaginal health.