The state of the microbiota of the genital tract in women who smoke

Abstract

Introduction: Tobacco use has a negative effect on the immune system and contributes to a decrease in the protective properties of a woman’s body, which leads to dysbiotic changes in the microbiota of the genital tract. Materials and methods: To assess the species and quantity composition of the microflora of the vagina in women, bacteriological studies were conducted. The research group consisted of women with inflamma - tory diseases of the genital tract who smoke (40 women) and 40 women who do not smoke. The control group consisted of 30 healthy women who did not smoke. Results: The obtained results indicate that the state of the microbiota of the genital organs in women who smoke is characterized by an increase in the spectrum of isolated microflora of enterobacteria and Gram-positive cocci, anaerobic bacteria, an increase in the level of viral infection and a significant decrease in the concentration of protective microflora. The microbiota of the genital tract of women who smoke is characterized by the formation of 2–3 component associations (in 45% of women) of infectious agents in various combinations. In non-smoking women, bacterial associations were found in 17.5% of cases. Conclusions: In women who smoke, there is a significant imbalance of protective and potentially patho - genic flora with active contamination of the genital tract with conditionally pathogenic microorganisms that form multicomponent associations of infectious agents. The obtained data indicate the need for constant monitoring of the causative agents of vaginal dysbiosis in women who smoke, as well as the need for further research to identify the impact of smoking cessation on the vaginal microbiome.