A bacterium usually found in the vagina [After Albert Siegmund Gustav Doderlein (1860-1941), German obstetrician and gynaecologist].
This type of bacteria is commonly found in the vagina of a healthy individual, beginning in the first few weeks of life. The bacteria ferments sugar, contributing to the acidic and antiseptic nature of normal vaginal secretions through the production of lactic acid. If this balanced process is disrupted, either by external infection or by a general health issue that decreases glycogen production, it can cause mild vaginitis, leading to a whitish vaginal discharge. This condition is medically referred to as leukorrhea, commonly known as “the whites.”