PreFem: "What Happens to the Vaginal Microbiota When a BV Infection is Treated With Metronidazole?"

PreFem: "What Happens to the Vaginal Microbiota When a BV Infection is Treated With Metronidazole?"

The study will assess vaginal microbiota levels before and after antibiotic treatment in females infected with Bacterial Vaginosis (BV).

This method validation study will endeavour to obtain evidence for:

• Recruitment methodology effectiveness
• The usefulness of the "Canestest" test as a screening tool
• The time required for the vaginal microbiota (particularly Lactobacillus count) to return to normal after treatment of BV infection with metronidazole.
• The time required for the Nugent Score to return to normal after treatment of BV infection with metronidazole.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Signed informed consent
• Female gender
• Over 18 years of age
• Have a high probability for compliance with and completion of the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Hypersensitivity to metronidazole --only applies to Group 2.
• Post-menopausal defined as at least 12 consecutive months without menstruation
• Treatment of BV in last 4 weeks
• Clinically significant menstrual irregularities
• Suspected presence of STDs or other vaginal infection
• Pregnancy
• Breast feeding
• Participation in other clinical studies which could influence genitourinary tract microbiota
• Substance abuse
• Investigator believes that the participant may be uncooperative and/or noncompliant and should therefore not participate in the study