To determine whether inflammatory cytokine induction differed between lactobacilli obtained from women with optimal (BV negative; n = 14) and non-optimal (intermediate microbiota and BV positive (n = 18) microbiota, we stimulated vaginal epithelial (VK2) cells with 64 lactobacilli isolates in separate cultures and measured secreted interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IFN-γ-inducible protein (IP)-10, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, MIP-1β, MIP-3α and regulatory IL-1 receptor antagonist (RA) concentrations in cell culture supernatants using Luminex. The gene discussed is CXCL8; the disease is bacterial vaginosis.