Lactobacillus crispatus

Lactobacillus crispatus is a common, rod-shaped species of genus Lactobacillus and is a lactic acid producing bacterial species located in both the vagina, through vaginal discharge, and the vertebrate gastrointestinal tract. This species commonly found in vaginal microbiome and is thought to be beneficial to health.

Some strains are commercially available as a probiotic that can be used by premenopausal and postmenopausal women that experience recurrent urinary tract infections. For example, one strain CTV-05 is being evaluated specifically for the prevention and treatment of bacterial vaginosis, which is characterized by overgrowth of other bacteria, potentially as a result of the absence of Lactobacillus flora that can serve to protect the host from infection.