This is the bacterial DNA data extracted from the gram stain slides. The targeted bacteria genera and species include: Atopobium spp., bacterial vaginosis-associated bacterium (BVAB) types 1, 2 and 3 in the order Clostridiales, Escherichia coli, Gardnerella vaginalis, Group B Streptococcus, Lactobacillus spp., Mobiluncus spp., Mycoplasma spp., and Ureaplasma spp. We also used a primer set for Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) that includes lactic acid producing bacteria of the genera Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Leuconostoc, and Weissella. We calculated the relative proportion of each bacterial taxon using the bacterial copies measured by each specific bacteria primer divided by the total bacterial copies. The limit of detection was 100 copies and readings lower than the limit were considered negative
Citation to related publication:
Wen A, Srinivasan U, Goldberg D, Owen J, Marrs CF, Misra D, Wing DA, Ponnaluri S, Miles-Jay A, Bucholz B, Abbas K, Foxman B. Selected vaginal bacteria and risk of preterm birth: an ecological perspective. J Infect Dis. 2014 Apr 1;209(7):1087-94. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jit632. Epub 2013 Nov 22. PMID: 24273044; PMCID: PMC3952673. and Foxman B, Wen A, Srinivasan U, Goldberg D, Marrs CF, Owen J, Wing DA, Misra D. Mycoplasma, bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria BVAB3, race, and risk of preterm birth in a high-risk cohort. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2014 Mar;210(3):226.e1-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2013.10.003. Epub 2013 Oct 4. PMID: 24096128; PMCID: PMC3943817.