Is bacterial vaginosis an STI?

Two new studies suggest that bacterial vaginosis, or BV, is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). One of them looked at BV bacteria and sexual practices in over 300 young women in Australia. They found that BV bacteria were not usually present in women who’d never had sex. The more partners women had in their lifetime, the more likely they were to have one or more BV bacteria. The second study followed over 600 young women in Alabama and also found a link between BV and sexual activity. The study also showed that women with BV were more likely to have gonorrhea or chlamydia, and vice versa.