The genital tract microbiome: bridging the gap between hype and clinical reality

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5327/DST-2177-8264-2024361396

Keywords:

Microbiome, Vaginitis, Microbiota, Lactobacilli

Abstract

In the last years there has been a huge interest in the study of the human microbiome, and the genital tract one has been no exception. However, we still fail to fully understand the normal and abnormal genital tract microbiome. Despite the increasing knowledge, the diagnosis of vaginitis is mostly empirical and many interventions, such as the use of probiotics, are not supported by good quality evidence.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Kidd C, Hayden BY. The psychology and neuroscience of curiosity. Neuron. 2015;88(3):449-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2015.09.010

zur Hausen H, de Villiers EM, Gissmann L. Papillomavirus infections and human genital cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 1981;12(2 Pt 2):S124-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/0090-8258(81)90067-6

Lane N. The unseen world: reflections on Leeuwenhoek (1677) 'Concerning little animals'. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2015;370(1666):20140344. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2014.0344

Donné A. Animalculi observed in purulent fluids and secretions of genital organs from Men and Women. CR Acad Sci. 1836;3(385).

Wilkinson JS. Some remarks upon the development of epiphytes.: with the description of a new vegetable formation found in connexion with the human uterus. The Lancet. 1849;54(1365):448-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(00)63203-8

Döderlein A. Das scheidensekret und seine bedeutung für das puerperalfieber. Munique: Unikum; 2012.

Gardner HL, Dukes CD. Haemophilus vaginalis vaginitis: a newly defined specific infection previously classified non-specific vaginitis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1955;69(5):962-76. PMID: 14361525.

Cibley LJ, Cibley LJ. Cytolytic vaginosis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1991;165(4 Pt 2):1245-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9378(12)90736-x

Gardner HL. Desquamative inflammatory vaginitis: a newly defined entity. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1968;102(8):1102-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9378(68)90399-2

Stockdale CK. A positive culture result for gardnerella is not diagnostic of bacterial vaginosis. J Low Genit Tract Dis. 2016;20(4):281-2. https://doi.org/10.1097/LGT.0000000000000237

Khairat R, Ball M, Chang CC, Bianucci R, Nerlich AG, Trautmann M, et al. First insights into the metagenome of Egyptian mummies using next-generation sequencing. J Appl Genet. 2013;54(3):309-25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13353-013-0145-1

Azevedo S, Lima-Silva J, Vieira-Baptista P. Impact of the sampling site in the result of wet mount microscopy. J Low Genit Tract Dis. 2019;23(2):176-81. https://doi.org/10.1097/LGT.0000000000000467

Sobel JD. Automated microscopy and pH test for diagnosis of vaginitis – the end of empiricism? NPJ Digit Med. 2023;6(1):167. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-023-00850-7

Ravel J, Gajer P, Abdo Z, Schneider GM, Koenig SS, McCulle SL, et al. Vaginal microbiome of reproductive-age women. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011;108 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):4680-7. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1002611107

Hillier SL, Austin M, Macio I, Meyn LA, Badway D, Beigi R. Diagnosis and treatment of vaginal discharge syndromes in community practice settings. Clin Infect Dis. 2021;72(9):1538-43. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa260

Vieira-Baptista P, Stockdale CK, Sobel JD. International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of vaginitis. Lisbon: Admedic; 2023.

Mitra A, Gultekin M, Ellis LB, Bizzari N, Bowden S, Taumberger N, et al. Genital tract microbiota composition profiles and use of prebiotics and probiotics in gynaecological cancer prevention: review of the current evidence, the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology prevention committee statement. Lancet Microbe. 2023;S2666-5247(23)00257-4.

Lev-Sagie A, Goldman-Wohl D, Cohen Y, Dori-Bachash M, Leshem A, Mor U, et al. Vaginal microbiome transplantation in women with intractable bacterial vaginosis. Nat Med. 2019;25(10):1500-4. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-019-0600-6

Wrønding T, Vomstein K, Bosma EF, Mortensen B, Westh H, Heintz JE, et al. Antibiotic-free vaginal microbiota transplant with donor engraftment, dysbiosis resolution and live birth after recurrent pregnancy loss: a proof of concept case study. EClinicalMedicine. 2023;61:102070. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102070

Committee Opinion No. 725: vaginal seeding. Obstet Gynecol. 2017;130(5):e274-e278. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000002402

Downloads

Published

2024-01-09

How to Cite

1.
Vieira-Baptista P. The genital tract microbiome: bridging the gap between hype and clinical reality. DST [Internet]. 2024 Jan. 9 [cited 2024 Apr. 27];36. Available from: https://www.bjstd.org/revista/article/view/1396

Issue

Section

Editorial