Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria: * able to provide informed consent; * aged 18-35; * residing in the recruitment region and expecting to reside in the same region for at least six months following recruitment (Yaoundé/ Gounougou, Cameroon; Loreto/Lima/Maynas provinces, Peru; or Basel-Landschaft and Basel-Stadt cantons, Switzerland); * are native speakers or are able to read and understand one of the following languages in each respective country (German, French, Italian, English or Spanish in Switzerland; French or English in Cameroon; Spanish in Peru); * had menstrual cycles of 21-35 days for at least the last 4 months; * had menses which lasted at least 3 days for at least the last 4 months. Exclusion criteria: * experienced a menstrual abnormality with any of the menstrual cycles in the last 4 months (such as oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea, or bleed more than 7 days a month); * are pregnant or actively trying to become pregnant; * are breastfeeding; * used antibiotics and/or vaginal antifungals in the last 30 days prior to recruitment; * had a vaginal birth in the last 6 months; * vaginal surgery, perineal surgery, uterine surgery, miscarriage or abortion in the last 6 months; * history of Toxic Shock Syndrome ; * positive to detection of the toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 gen (tst) using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR); * Intrauterine device in situ; * under medication (treatment against infectious or chronic disease) at the time of recruitment or during the 3 weeks prior to recruitment; * clinical symptoms of vaginal infection; * smoker.