Hi, I'm Clara Moskowitz, senior editor for space and physics at Scientific American.

Like many kids, I once dreamed of becoming an astronaut.

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For Scientific American Science quickly, I'm Rachel Feldman. Research suggests that anywhere from roughly a quarter to more than a third of people with a vagina will contract bacterial vaginosis or BV at least once in their lifetimes.

It involves an imbalance in the microbes that grow in the vagina, with pathogenic strains beating

out healthier bacteria.

It's not usually a serious condition, but it can put people at higher risk for contracting

HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Now, some researchers are arguing that BV itself should be treated like an STI.

Those researchers are my guest today.

Linka Vostritchell is a senior research fellow at Monash University's Melbourne Sexual Health Center.

Katrina Bradshaw is a professor of sexual health medicine at Monash University and Alfred Hospital.

Before we dive into our conversation, it's important to note that while we'll be discussing

treating BV as an STI, people can be diagnosed with BV even if they've never had sex. It's an

...