Characterization of vaginal Lactobacillus species by rplK -based multiplex qPCR in Russian women

- A novel multiplex qPCR method for identification of vaginal lactobacilli.
- Gene rplK as a novel target for identification of vaginal lactobacilli.
- Taqman probes for L. crispatus, L. jensenii, L. gasseri, L. iners, L. acidophilus.
- Prevalence of Lactobacillus species in vaginal specimens from Russian women.

We describe a multiplex qPCR assay for identification and quantitative assessment of a set of vaginal Lactobacillus species, including L. acidophilus, L. crispatus, L. gasseri, L. helveticus, L. iners, and L. jensenii. The assay extends the previously developed qPCR method for Lactobacillus detection and total quantification based on targeting the rplK gene. Both assays use only single pair of primers and a set of probes combined in three reactions, comprising a vaginal Lactobacillus diagnostic assay panel. The utility of the diagnostic panel was evaluated by analyzing of vaginal swab specimens from 145 patients with different status of vaginal health. Most frequently, only one Lactobacillus species was dominant (68,9%), mostly L. crispatus (18,6%) or L. iners (33,1%), but two or three Lactobacillus species were also being simultaneously detected (24,9%). The diagnostic panel will facilitate investigations of the role of Lactobacillus species in the health of the female reproductive system and promote studies of variability of the vaginal microbiota.