Assessment of the lactobacillus profile after treatment of bacterial vaginosis using the combination of nifuratel+nystatin: A multicenter prospective observational controlled study

Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV) with the nifuratel+nystatin complex and its effect on the lactobacillus profile (LBP) in the vagina.

Materials and methods. A multicenter, prospective, observational study included 41 patients diagnosed with BV (main group) who were treated with vaginal capsules containing 500 mg of nifuratel and 200,000 IU of nystatin (Macmiror® Complex). Efficacy was assessed at 2 weeks and 4–6 weeks after treatment based on clinical data (absence of pathological discharge). The control group for the comparative assessment of LBP included 25 healthy women. Lactobacillus index (LI, the proportion of lactobacilli in the total bacterial mass) and the abundance of Lactobacillus crispatus, L. gasseri, L. jensenii, and L. iners were assessed using a polymerase chain reaction before treatment with BV, at 2 weeks and 4–6 weeks after the end of therapy, as well as in the control group. Additionally, the vaginal pH level was measured.

Results. Clinical recovery was achieved in all main group patients and persisted throughout the observation. In all patients in this group, lactobacilli comprised 0.01–100% of the total bacterial mass. The frequency of lactobacilli species in the control group was relatively uniform, with a relatively uniform abundance of lactobacilli and a slight dominance of L. crispatus, with frequent isolation of two species in samples and high LI (>70%) in 80% of females. Before treatment in the main group, the majority of vaginal samples contained one species of lactobacilli; 40% had LI<70%, and in 62.5%, L. iners was isolated. LBP did not change significantly within 2 weeks after treatment, and after 4–6 weeks, it became comparable to that in the control group. A decrease in pH was associated with LBP recovery. However, there was no strong correlation between LI and individual species of lactobacilli in samples with or without BV.

Conclusion. Nifuratel+nystatin complex is highly effective in BV treatment. The treatment had no adverse effect on LBP, which did not differ significantly immediately after treatment compared to the baseline. However, 4–6 weeks after the treatment, LBP recovered spontaneously, reaching comparable indicators with a group of clinically healthy females regarding species composition and LI.