As stated in our publication policy, the Editors-in-Chief of the journals have the right to return or retract articles even if articles have been accepted or published in order to increase the authenticity and reliability and to prevent ethical breaches. In this respect, it has been found that the article below contains many scientific errors in its findings. Ensuring that the studies published in our journals are conducted in a fair and ethical manner is one of our major missions. Therefore, to correct the literature and ensure its integrity, the article below is retracted.

Background: Bacterial vaginosis is characterized by a disequilibrium in vaginal microflora with the distinguishing feature of decrease in lactobacilli. The current study aimed to study lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the vaginal tract of individual with bacterial vaginosis. Methods: For this purpose, vaginal swabs of 108 women, including 92 patients with clinical symptoms of bacterial vaginosis and 16 healthy cases were collected. After extraction of DNA from vaginal samples, quantitative PCR was performed for detect the bacterial load and 16SrRNA gene. PCR was performed for the detection of microorganisms related to sexually transmitted infections, which all samples harboring any of such microorganisms was excluded from study. Results: There was a positive link between the quantitation of Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. among patients with bacterial vaginosis and healthy group. Quantitative PCR analysis illustrates that the frequency of Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. are significantly lower in patients with bacterial vaginosis compared with healthy individuals. Conclusion: The current study promotes our understanding about the vaginal Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. among patients and healthy individuals in Iran. Confirming the link between the frequency of lactobacilli and bacterial vaginosis could help us develop new prebiotics and probiotics for this disorder.

Aims: Trichomoniasis is the most common sexually-transmitted disease in the world. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis by PCR referred to the women clinics of Tehran City. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on 140 women admitted to Tehran Loghman and Shahid Shoorideh clinics hospital from November 2013 to December 2014. Demographic data were collected by a questionnaire. Using 2 swabs, from the posterior fornix of the vagina, secretions were collected with a swab to examine in the vaginal TYI-S-33 culture and another for molecular detection placed in a tube containing 2ml of sterile saline and transferred to the laboratory. Data were analyzed by SPSS 11 and One-sample T test. Findings: Of 46 suspected patients with Trichomonas vaginalis infection, vaginal secretions of 11 (7.8%) patients and urine samples of 4 (2.8%) patients by PCR, vaginal secretions of 6 (4.2%) and urine sample of 1 (0.5%) were reported positive in culture. There was a significant correlation between education and husbands' job and Trichomonas vaginalis infection (p<0.05). There was not a significant correlation between contraception and prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis (p>0.05). Conclusion: Employing new molecular methods based on PCR is recommended as a supplement or alternative to current methods for detection of Trichomonas vaginalis.