ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND Invasion of the vagina by a multitude of microorganisms is undoubtedly a daily occurrence. Sexual activities (masturbation, sexual intercourse, receptive oral sex), nonsexual touching, contamination from the rectum, and environmental exposures all result in deposition of various microorganisms onto the vaginal epithelia. Concomitantly, sub-pathological levels of a number of different microbes colonize the vagina of healthy women. The prevention of clinical symptom development in response to this constant microbial incursion is the responsibility of the normal endogenous microbial ecosystem, an intact epithelial cell barrier, and the local genital tract immune system.
