Shown are six cytokines, IL-6, IL-8, G-CSF, Mip-1 β, RANTES and Gro-α, that are elevated in clinical BV samples and similarly increased in our coculture model after inoculation with A. vaginae, but not with the commensal lactobacillus species L. johnsonii. The gene discussed is CXCL8; the disease is bacterial vaginosis.