This application is in response to the NIH RFA (AI-02-008) entitled """"""""Impact of Microbial Interactions on Infectious Diseases."""""""" Specifically we will study the interaction between viruses (phages) and vaginal lactobacilli during the development of experimental bacterial vaginosis (BV) in animals. BV is the most common vaginal disorder affecting women worldwide. Because the cause is unknown, no methods are available to prevent BV. Although BV itself only has mild discomfort, such as discharge and fishy smell, BV is associated with two major health risks in women: preterm delivery and increased susceptibility to contract HIV. Both incidences kill millions of newborns and adults annually. Therefore, it is urgent to study the cause of BV, because discovering its cause will be a key step in developing more effective ways to prevent and cure the disease. In healthy women, lactobacilli dominate the vaginal microbial ecology. During BV, a shift in microbial dominance occurs-lactobacilli decrease while Gardnerrella vaginalis and anaerobic bacteria increase It is unknown, however, what triggers the shift in vaginal ecology to cause BV. We have isolated phages that infect vaginal lactobacilli. Because these phages can potentially shift vaginal microbial dominance, they are implicated as an underlying cause for BV. We hypothesize that BV may occur after phages infect vaginal lactobacilli. We will test this hypothesis according to Koch's postulates. Namely, a virus isolated from lactobacilli will be inoculated into an animal to cause BV in the animal. We will achieve two specific aims: 1) Study in vitro interactions between phages and monkey vaginal lactobacilli. 2) Establish a monkey BV model by shifting vaginal ecology with a Lactobacillus phage. Upon completion of the study, we expect to have developed a BV animal model based on Koch's postulates, documented that BV can be an infectious disease and that the infectious pathogen is the Lactobacillus phage. We will have an improved understanding of the BV etiology. This will be the first step in attaining our long-term goal: developing better methods to treat and prevent BV.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
5R21AI054655-02
Application #
6718451
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAI1-GPJ-M (J1))
Program Officer
Deal, Carolyn D
Project Start
2003-03-15
Project End
2007-02-28
Budget Start
2004-03-01
Budget End
2007-02-28
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$233,805
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Illinois at Chicago
Department
Dentistry
Type
Schools of Dentistry
DUNS #
098987217
City
Chicago
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60612
Gravett, Michael G; Jin, Ling; Pavlova, Sylvia I et al. (2012) Lactobacillus and Pediococcus species richness and relative abundance in the vagina of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). J Med Primatol 41:183-90
Jin, L; Tao, L; Pavlova, S I et al. (2007) Species diversity and relative abundance of vaginal lactic acid bacteria from women in Uganda and Korea. J Appl Microbiol 102:1107-15