{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,15]],"date-time":"2026-07-15T11:53:10Z","timestamp":1784116390140,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":87,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,25]],"date-time":"2025-04-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1745539200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is considered the most common cause of vaginal discharge, which is related to several public health issues, such as an increased risk for sexually transmitted infections, pelvic inflammatory disease, pregnancy-related problems such as abortion, stillbirth or premature birth, and tubal factor infertility. BV is not considered an infection but an imbalance in the vaginal microbiota, characterized by a substitution of the normal Lactobacilli flora by anaerobe. Reducing resistance against infections by several mechanisms, including bacterial homeostasis, stabilization of acid pH, inhibition of pathogens adhesion by polyamine degradation, production of anti-inflammatory molecules, surfactants, and antimicrobial substances like hydrogen peroxide, acids, and bacteriocins. Approximately half of women with BV can experience symptoms, which mainly include vaginal malodor, fishy discharge, stinging sensation, and increased vaginal pH. The treatment of BV is based primarily on promoting Lactobacilli restoration and eliminating dangerous microbiota with antibiotic therapy. However, there is a high rate of recurrence and relapse. Objective: Based on the current literature, this review aims to propose a list of ten BV hallmarks: dysbiosis, inflammation, apoptosis, pH basification, mucosal barrier integrity, pathway activation, epithelial damage, genomic instability, oxidative stress (OS), and metabolic reconfiguration. Conclusions: Understanding the causes of BV and the pathogenicity mechanisms is critical for preventing and improving the current therapeutic management of patients.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics15091090","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,25]],"date-time":"2025-04-25T04:08:24Z","timestamp":1745554104000},"page":"1090","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Hallmarks of Bacterial Vaginosis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Diana Cristina","family":"P\u00e9rez-Ibave","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Servicio de Oncolog\u00eda, Centro Universitario Contra el C\u00e1ncer (CUCC), Hospital Universitario \u201cDr. Jos\u00e9 Eleuterio Gonz\u00e1lez\u201d, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 66451, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carlos Horacio","family":"Burciaga-Flores","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Servicio de Oncolog\u00eda, Centro Universitario Contra el C\u00e1ncer (CUCC), Hospital Universitario \u201cDr. Jos\u00e9 Eleuterio Gonz\u00e1lez\u201d, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 66451, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ximena","family":"Garc\u00eda-Mej\u00eda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 66451, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3309-6144","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fernando","family":"Alcorta-Nu\u00f1ez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Servicio de Oncolog\u00eda, Centro Universitario Contra el C\u00e1ncer (CUCC), Hospital Universitario \u201cDr. Jos\u00e9 Eleuterio Gonz\u00e1lez\u201d, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 66451, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4967-3818","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Orlando","family":"Solis-Coronado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Servicio de Oncolog\u00eda, Centro Universitario Contra el C\u00e1ncer (CUCC), Hospital Universitario \u201cDr. Jos\u00e9 Eleuterio Gonz\u00e1lez\u201d, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 66451, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mois\u00e9s Gonz\u00e1lez","family":"Escamilla","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Servicio de Oncolog\u00eda, Centro Universitario Contra el C\u00e1ncer (CUCC), Hospital Universitario \u201cDr. Jos\u00e9 Eleuterio Gonz\u00e1lez\u201d, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 66451, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Oscar","family":"Vidal-Guti\u00e9rrez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Servicio de Oncolog\u00eda, Centro Universitario Contra el C\u00e1ncer (CUCC), Hospital Universitario \u201cDr. Jos\u00e9 Eleuterio Gonz\u00e1lez\u201d, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 66451, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7096-2713","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mar\u00eda Lourdes","family":"Garza-Rodr\u00edguez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Servicio de Oncolog\u00eda, Centro Universitario Contra el C\u00e1ncer (CUCC), Hospital Universitario \u201cDr. Jos\u00e9 Eleuterio Gonz\u00e1lez\u201d, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 66451, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"O\u2019Hanlon, D.E., Gajer, P., Brotman, R.M., and Ravel, J. 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