A culture performed on a vaginal specimen collected from a 60-year-old woman would likely grow primarily:

a. group B hemolytic streptococci.
b. staphylococci and corynebacteria.
c. Enterobacteriaceae, streptococci, staphy-lococci, lactobacilli, and anaerobes.
d. G. vaginalis, Prevotella spp., Peptostrep-tococcus spp., and Mobiluncus spp.


B
Various species of commensal bacteria colonize the lining of the normal human genital tract, causing no harm to the host except under abnormal circumstances and helping prevent the adhe-rence of pathogenic organisms. The flora of the female genital tract varies with the pH and es-trogen concentration of the mucosa, which depends on the host's age. Prepubescent and postme-nopausal women harbor primarily staphylococci and corynebacteria (the same flora present on surface epithelium), whereas women of reproductive age may harbor large numbers of facultative bacteria such as Enterobacteriaceae, streptococci, and staphylococci, as well as anaerobes such as lactobacilli, anaerobic non–spore-forming bacilli and cocci, and clostridia. Although yeast (acquired from the gastrointestinal tract) may be transiently recovered from the female vaginal tract, it is not considered normal flora.

Biology & Microbiology

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