SPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics Aug 12 2025 Vaginal health is tightly linked to the balance of bacteria in the microbiome, especially certain species of  Lactobacillus . When this balance is disturbed-a condition known as dysbiosis-it can lead to increased risk of infections, complications during pregnancy, and other long-term health concerns. Despite this risk, existing diagnostic methods often fall short, especially in detecting  Lactobacillus iners , an important vaginal