Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is under-reported, misdiagnosed and inappropriately treated in Nigeria. Treatment option rely on antibiotics that eliminates both good and pathogenic bacteria, with gross impact on the gut and vaginal microbiome. Our primary objective in this study is to determine the effects of Lactobacillus on the gut and vagina when taken orally.

Antibiotics reduces in considerable proportion both the healthy bacteria especially Lactobacilli and those associated with BV, thus the vaginal microecology and gut is adversely affected. It is widely acknowledged that Lactobacilli and other genera that produces some metabolites such as lactic acid, contributes to vaginal health by maintaining the low pH of the vagina.

The objectives of this study are three folds, first to determine the effects before and after 14 days oral feeding of Lactobacillus pentosus KCA1 on the vaginal and gut microbiota compositions of women diagnosed with BV. Second to measure the level of two proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 beta and IL-6 before and after KCA1 consumption and third to determine in silico, the relative abundance of microbial genes involved in metabolic functions using the 16S rRNA datasets.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Not on antibiotic therapy within the last one month
• Not menstruating at the time of inclusion.

Exclusion Criteria:

Pregnant, use of antibiotic medication, declined informed consent, menstruating and those that used douches, sprays, spermicides in the last 48 hours

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This is an open label study