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Microflora of the Female Genital Tract

  • Chapter
Infectious Diseases in the Female Patient

Part of the book series: Clinical Perspectives in Obstetrics and Gynecology ((CPOG))

Abstract

Many different species of microorganisms can be isolated from the lower genital tract of females. At present it is difficult, if not impossible, to define the normal flora of the female genital tract. This problem is the result of certain conceptual barriers and the complexity of the task, leaving us with limited information. Nevertheless, there are current data on the microflora pertinent to improved understanding of health and disease of the female genital tract. Over the past decade there has been widespread acceptance of the concept that, aside from the specific venereal diseases, the majority of infections arising in the genital tract are not caused by uniquely virulent exogenous pathogens. Rather, these involve endogenous microorganisms whose pathogenic potential is mediated by host factors and cohabiting microbes.

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Authors
  1. Christiane E. Stahl
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  2. Gale B. Hill
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Microbiology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

    Rudolph P. Galask M.D. (Professor) (Professor)

  2. Department of Microbiology, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, West Virginia, USA

    Bryan Larsen PH.D. (Associate Professor) (Associate Professor)

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© 1986 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.

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Stahl, C.E., Hill, G.B. (1986). Microflora of the Female Genital Tract. In: Galask, R.P., Larsen, B. (eds) Infectious Diseases in the Female Patient. Clinical Perspectives in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4852-1_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4852-1_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-9330-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-4852-1

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