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G. REID, Advanced Surgical Technologies, Lawson Health Research Institute, 268 Grosvenor St., London, ON N6A 4V2, Canada Several hundred bacterial species have been recovered from the female urogenital tract, but at any given time only 5-15 species are present. This microbiota fluctuates with hormonal levels, sexual contact, micturition and other factors. It is often ‘abnormal’ in that it is colonized by organisms associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV), urinary tract infections (UTI) and yeast vaginitis. This imbalance can lead to symptomatic infections, risk of sexually transmitted disease, and preterm labor. In BV, dense Gram negative bacterial biofilms are found covering the vaginal epithelial surfaces, unlike healthy women where lactobacilli dominate. Little is known about BV biofilm dynamics, but the predominant species can produce toxins, adhesins, amines and proteinases that cause symptomatic infection. The concept of replenishing the lactobacilli flora (probiotics - defined as "Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host") has been investigated by our group for over 21 years. Evidence now exists to show that oral consumption in food and dietary supplement forms, of strains such as Lactobacillus GR-1 and RC-14, can lead to a ‘normal’ vaginal microbiota. The ingested organisms ascend naturally from the rectum along the perineal skin and into the vagina. Mechanisms of action are multi-factorial, including competitive exclusion, killing and displacement of pathogens and potential pathogens such as Gardnerella, modulation of host immunity, and cell-cell signaling. Clearly food science can play an important role in better understanding factors invovled in health retention and restoration. Furthermore, the techniques used to study BV biofilms such as molecular biology, nanotechnology, microscopy and microbiology, provide a model for other investigations involving food pathogens. Annually, over 20 billion units of probiotic products, primarily in dairy form, are ingested worldwide. It's critical that efforts be made to better understand how this ingestion interfaces with our own indigenous microbial population.
Session 51, Biofilms in the food environment: Current approaches and findings
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