[Determination of hydrogen peroxide production by vaginal strains of Lactobacillus spp. isolated from healthy women].

Hydrogen peroxide production was determined in 31 strains of Lactobacillus spp., isolated in healthy women. The Lactobacillus spp. Were plated onto Brucella agar containing tetramethyl-benzidine/TMB/and horseradish peroxidase. The plates were incubated under anaerobic conditions at 37 C for 2-3 days, after which the isolates were exposed to ambient air. The horseradish peroxidase in the midium oxidises the TMB in the presence of H202 to from a blue pigment in H2O2-producing colony. 93.3% of the women had H2O2-(+) Lactobacillus spp. and 6.6% had non-H2O2 producing Lactobacillus spp. We postulate that hydrogen peroxide producing Lactobacillus spp. Play the main role for the homeostases of the vaginal ecosystem. This method can easily be applied for the differentiation of H2O2-producing Lactobacillus spp. From non-H2O2 producing Lactobacillus spp.