Preliminary characterization of the normal microbiota of the human vulva using cultivation-independent methods

1 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844-3051, USA 2 Procter & Gamble Company, 6110 Center Hill Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45224, USA Correspondence Celeste J. Brown celesteb{at}uidaho.edu Received 4 March 2006 Accepted 26 October 2006 The objective of this study was to perform a preliminary characterization of the microbial populations of the normal human vulva. Genomic DNA was isolated from samples of the labia majora and labia minora from four healthy women, and sequences of bacterial 16S rRNA genes in each were determined. The sequences were compared with those of known bacterial species to classify the numerically abundant populations in these communities. Even among this limited number of individuals, the microbiota of the human vulva was found to be quite diverse. Each woman had a distinctive microbiota and no single species was common to all women. The microbiota of the labia majora and labia minora differed, although both had appreciable numbers of lactobacilli and strict anaerobes. A greater diversity of populations inhabited the labia majora compared with the labia minora. The results indicated that the microbiota of the vulva includes populations known to be commensals of the microbiota of the skin, colon and vagina, and is much more complex than previously thought, suggesting that more extensive investigations are warranted. Abbreviations: RDP II, Ribosomal Database Project. The GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ accession numbers for the 16S rRNA gene sequences determined in this study are DQ975475–DQ976361. Present address: Center for Infectious Disease Ecology, Asia-Pacific Institute for Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, 651 Ilalo St, BSB 320, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA.