Vaginal Microbiome Research Consortium for Africa

1. To characterise vaginal microbial community dynamics (bacterial and fungal) from different geographies in Africa to understand the microbial diversity that occurs in women with stable L. crispatus-dominant versus unstable vaginal microbiota. 2. To identify vaginal communities associated with low levels of inflammation in women from different geographies in Africa 3. To examine prevalence and diversity of HPV types circulating in the different geographies and their interaction with the vaginal microbiota 4. To create a biobank of stored samples that can be used in future studies and for the isolation of regionally representative bacterial strains.