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Oleic Acid Found to Promote Healthy Bacteria Growth, Offers Hope for Recurrent Bacterial Vaginosis Treatment

Aug 19, 2024, 04:37 PM

Researchers have discovered that oleic acid, a naturally occurring fatty acid, can promote the growth of the health-associated vaginal bacterium Lactobacillus crispatus. This finding offers a potential strategy for treating recurrent bacterial vaginosis, a common infection. The study, published in Cell, highlights the metabolic differences in the vaginal microbiome and suggests that oleic acid could be used to restore a healthy vaginal microbiome after infection. The research was conducted by a team at the Broad Institute in collaboration with the Kwon Lab at the Ragon Institute.