New research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has found that a certain type of vaginal bacteria could be protecting women from getting sexually transmitted diseases, including the HIV virus.  The study looked at the vaginal mucus of 31 women using high resolution time-lapse microscopes. Using this technique they were able to test whether HIV particles were stopped or became trapped within the mucus – or if they did not and were able to spread to cause infection in the body.  The study was recently published in mBio, a journal by the American Society for Microbiology.

According to the scientists, vaginal mucus can provide a barrier that prevents HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases from reaching cells in the vaginal lining.  This can effectively prevent or reduce the infections caused by these STIs.  Interestingly, the vaginal mucus and barrier of each women varies and as of yet these variations or their causes are not well understood.

What researchers did find, is that women with high levels of a bacteria known as Lactobacillus crispatus within their vaginal mucus were better, or more successful in avoiding infections. The barrier acted a biological condom in these women blocking out the infections.  The barrier of vaginal mucus within and surrounding their vaginas was shown to trap, and kill, HIV particles upon contact. Unfortunately because of the variation in the female vaginal mucus, this particular type of bacteria in not present in all women.  Only certain women.

Currently, there is no way to start producing the STI fighting bacteria unless it is already in your body.  Fortunately for some women, there is already a biological infection fighter present.  For other women, who don’t have this special bacteria on their side, researchers are already looking into how these findings can be applied to STI prevention and new methods of protection.  Currently there is no way of knowing the makeup of your vaginal mucus, and whether or not it makes the Lactobacillus crispatus unless you undergo lab tests like the ones done within the experiment.  This is why it is so important to practice safe sex, and make sure you are not putting yourself at a higher risk for a sexually transmitted disease.