Microbiome scientists peer into the genital tract

Feces is old hat, so to speak, in the burgeoning microbiome economy. But there’s a new frontier in harvesting the microbes we secrete: Scientists are testing whether vaginal microbiota transplants may help treat diseases like bacterial vaginosis, an inflammatory condition caused when the balance of bacteria goes topsy-turvy.

Other conditions — including preterm birth — could also be linked to an upset vaginal microbiome, STAT’s Kate Sheridan writes. That’s why both researchers and for-profit companies now see potential in developing new therapeutics that target the microbial flora of the genital tract.