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Chai TC, Wolfe AJ, Brubaker L. The Urinary Microbiome: Improving Diagnostics and Management of Urinary Tract Infections in Adult Females. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2024; 38:241-253. [PMID: 38729665 DOI: 10.1016/j.idc.2024.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
This article discusses the urinary microbiome in relation to urinary tract infection (UTI) in women. It makes biologic sense that the microbiota of different niches (bladder, vagina, and gut) interact with each other in health, as well as during a UTI event; however, these relationships remain poorly understood. Future research should close knowledge gaps regarding the interactions between the urinary microbiota and the host, amongst the microbiota of adjacent niches, and between the microbes within the same microbiota. The new knowledge should result in improved UTI treatment in the age of antibiotic stewardship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toby C Chai
- Department of Urology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, 725 Albany Street, Suite 3B, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
| | - Alan J Wolfe
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, 2160 South First Avenue, Building 115, Room 215, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Linda Brubaker
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, University of California, 9300 Campus Point, Mail Code 7433, La Jolla, CA 92037-7433, USA
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2
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Byrne EH, Song H, Srinivasan S, Fredricks DN, Reed SD, Guthrie KA, Wu M, Mitchell CM. Association between vaginal microbiota and vaginal inflammatory immune markers in postmenopausal women. Menopause 2024:00042192-990000000-00326. [PMID: 38713891 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000002362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In premenopausal individuals, vaginal microbiota diversity and lack of Lactobacillus dominance are associated with greater mucosal inflammation, which is linked to a higher risk of cervical dysplasia and infections. It is not known if the association between the vaginal microbiota and inflammation is present after menopause, when the vaginal microbiota is generally higher-diversity and fewer people have Lactobacillus dominance. METHODS This is a post hoc analysis of a subset of postmenopausal individuals enrolled in a randomized trial for treatment of moderate-severe vulvovaginal discomfort that compared vaginal moisturizer, estradiol, or placebo. Vaginal fluid samples from 0, 4, and 12 weeks were characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing (microbiota) and MesoScale Discovery (vaginal fluid immune markers: IL-1b, IL-1a, IL-2, IL-6, IL-18, IL-10, IL-9, IL-13, IL-8, IP10, MIP1a, MIP1b, MIP3a). Global associations between cytokines and microbiota (assessed by relative abundance of individual taxa and Shannon index for alpha, or community, diversity) were explored, adjusting for treatment arm, using linear mixed models, principal component analysis, and Generalized Linear Mixed Model + Microbiome Regression-based Kernel Association Test (GLMM-MiRKAT). RESULTS A total of 119 individuals with mean age of 61 years were included. At baseline, 29.5% of participants had a Lactobacillus-dominant vaginal microbiota. Across all timepoints, alpha diversity (Shannon index, P = 0.003) was highly associated with immune markers. Individual markers that were associated with Lactobacillus dominance were similar to those observed in premenopausal people: IL-10, IL-1b, IL-6, IL-8 (false discovery rate [FDR] < 0.01), IL-13 (FDR = 0.02), and IL-2 (FDR = 0.09). Over 12 weeks, change in alpha diversity was associated with change in cytokine concentration (Shannon, P = 0.018), with decreased proinflammatory cytokine concentrations observed with decreasing alpha diversity. CONCLUSIONS In this cohort of postmenopausal individuals, Lactobacillus dominance and lower alpha diversity were associated with lower concentrations of inflammatory immune markers, as has been reported in premenopausal people. This suggests that after menopause lactobacilli continue to have beneficial effects on vaginal immune homeostasis, despite lower prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth H Byrne
- From the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA
| | - Hoseung Song
- Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
| | - Sujatha Srinivasan
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
| | | | - Susan D Reed
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle WA
| | | | - Michael Wu
- Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
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Abstract
Genitourinary syndrome of menopause is a common, under-reported, and undertreated chronic progressive condition requiring long-term treatment. Hypoestrogenism in the urogenital tissues is associated with bothersome dyspareunia, vulvovaginal symptoms, overactive bladder, and frequent urinary tract infections. Vaginal hormone therapies, including vaginal estrogen and intravaginal dehydroepiandrostenedione, are safe and effective and improve symptoms and clinical findings. Systemic hormone therapy treats vulvovaginal atrophy less effectively than vaginal hormone therapies with increased stress and urge urinary incontinence. Oral ospemifene effectively treats vaginal dryness and dyspareunia. Clinicians need to ask about symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause, confirm the diagnosis, and suggest appropriate treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- JoAnn V Pinkerton
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Midlife Health, The University of Virginia Health System
| | - Monique H Vaughan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, The University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Andrew M Kaunitz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida
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Jha S, Jeppson PC, Dokmeci F, Marquini GV, Sartori MGF, Moalli P, Malik SA. Management of mixed urinary incontinence: IUGA committee opinion. Int Urogynecol J 2024; 35:291-301. [PMID: 38252279 PMCID: PMC10908639 DOI: 10.1007/s00192-023-05694-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS Mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) is defined by the International Urogynecology Association (IUGA) and International Continence Society as the complaint of involuntary leakage of urine associated with urgency and also with exertion, effort, sneezing or coughing. It therefore implies the coexistence of both stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and urgency urinary incontinence (UUI). MUI is a heterogeneous diagnosis that requires an assessment of its individual components of SUI and UUI. Management requires an individualised approach to the symptom components. The aim of this review is to identify the assessment/investigations and management options for MUI. METHODS A working subcommittee from the IUGA Research & Development (R&D) Committee was created and volunteers invited from the IUGA membership. A literature review was performed to provide guidance focused on the recommended assessment and management of MUI. The document was then evaluated by the entire IUGA R&D Committee and IUGA Board of Directors and revisions made. The final document represents the IUGA R&D Committee Opinion. RESULTS The R&D Committee MUI opinion paper provides guidance on the assessment and management of women with MUI and summarises the evidence-based recommendations. CONCLUSIONS Mixed urinary incontinence is a complex problem and successful management requires alleviation of both the stress and urge components. Care should be individualised based on patient preferences. Further research is needed to guide patients in setting goals and to determine which component of MUI to treat first. The evidence for many of the surgical/procedural treatment options for MUI are limited and needs to be explored in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Jha
- Department of Urogynecology, Jessop Wing, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust & University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
| | - Peter C Jeppson
- The Woman's Center for Advanced Pelvic Surgery, The University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Fulya Dokmeci
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ankara School of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Gisele V Marquini
- Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Minas Gerais, Brazil and Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marair G F Sartori
- Urogynecology Division, Gynecology Department, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pamela Moalli
- Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Shazia A Malik
- Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Ob/Gyn, University of Arizona COMPhoenix, Tucson, AZ, USA
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Reasoner SA, Flores V, Van Horn G, Morales G, Peard LM, Abelson B, Manuel C, Lee J, Baker B, Williams T, Schmitz JE, Clayton DB, Hadjifrangiskou M. Survey of the infant male urobiome and genomic analysis of Actinotignum spp. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2023; 9:91. [PMID: 38040700 PMCID: PMC10692110 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-023-00457-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The urinary bladder harbors a community of microbes termed the urobiome, which remains understudied. In this study, we present the urobiome of healthy infant males from samples collected by transurethral catheterization. Using a combination of enhanced culture and amplicon sequencing, we identify several common bacterial genera that can be further investigated for their effects on urinary health across the lifespan. Many genera were shared between all samples suggesting a consistent urobiome composition among this cohort. We note that, for this cohort, early life exposures including mode of birth (vaginal vs. Cesarean section), or prior antibiotic exposure did not influence urobiome composition. In addition, we report the isolation of culturable bacteria from the bladders of these infant males, including Actinotignum spp., a bacterial genus that has been associated with urinary tract infections in older male adults. Herein, we isolate and sequence 9 distinct strains of Actinotignum spp. enhancing the genomic knowledge surrounding this genus and opening avenues for delineating the microbiology of this urobiome constituent. Furthermore, we present a framework for using the combination of culture-dependent and sequencing methodologies for uncovering mechanisms in the urobiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth A Reasoner
- Division of Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Viktor Flores
- Division of Pediatric Urology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Gerald Van Horn
- Division of Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Center for Personalized Microbiology (CPMi), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Grace Morales
- Division of Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Leslie M Peard
- Division of Pediatric Urology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Benjamin Abelson
- Division of Pediatric Urology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Division of Pediatric Urology, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Carmila Manuel
- Division of Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jessica Lee
- Division of Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Bailey Baker
- Division of Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Timothy Williams
- Division of Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jonathan E Schmitz
- Division of Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Center for Personalized Microbiology (CPMi), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Urology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Douglass B Clayton
- Division of Pediatric Urology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Maria Hadjifrangiskou
- Division of Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Center for Personalized Microbiology (CPMi), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Urology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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Hong X, Qin P, Gao L, Huang L, Shi Y, Peng D, Wang B. Change of the vaginal microbiome with oral contraceptive therapy in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a 6-month longitudinal cohort study. BMC Med 2023; 21:478. [PMID: 38041079 PMCID: PMC10693170 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-03196-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The association between the vaginal microbiome and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is reported, but the longitudinal changes in the vaginal microbiome that accompany oral contraceptive therapy have not been described. METHODS This cohort study included 50 PCOS patients who wanted to make their menstrual periods more regular and accepted only oral contraceptive therapy and lifestyle coaching, then they were successfully followed up for 6 months. Venous blood was collected, and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), total testosterone (T), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and estradiol (E2) were assayed at baseline and at months 3 and 6. Vaginal swabs were collected at baseline and at months 3 and 6. 16S rRNA genes were sequenced to identify the microbiota structure. Latent class trajectory models were used to explore the trajectory of the changes in Lactobacillus abundance. RESULTS At 3 months, all patients reported regular periods, and the improvement lasted until 6 months. The body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio decreased with treatment (P < 0.01), and the AMH and T levels showed downward trends. We did not find a statistically significant relationship between hormone levels at the previous time point and the vaginal microbiota at subsequent time points (P > 0.05). The relative abundance of Lactobacillus increased with treatment, and trajectory analysis revealed five classes of Lactobacillus changes. Class 1, stable high level, accounted for 26%; class 2, decrease followed by increase, accounted for 18%; class 3, stable low level, accounted for 10%; class 4, increase, accounted for 20%; class 5, increase followed by decrease, accounted for 26%. Logistic models showed that compared to class 1, a higher baseline T level was associated with a reduced risk of class 2 change (odds ratio (OR) = 0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI):0.01-0.52) and class 4 change (OR = 0.10, 95% CI:0.01-0.93). CONCLUSIONS The abundance of Lactobacilli increased with PCOS treatment; however, the trajectory was inconsistent for each individual. Evidence of the effects of female hormone levels on the vaginal microbiome is insufficient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Hong
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Pengfei Qin
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Women and Children's Healthcare Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Liting Gao
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lingling Huang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yong Shi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhong Da Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Danhong Peng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhong Da Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
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Chorbińska J, Krajewski W, Nowak Ł, Małkiewicz B, Del Giudice F, Szydełko T. Urinary Microbiome in Bladder Diseases-Review. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2816. [PMID: 37893189 PMCID: PMC10604329 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11102816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The microbiome is the totality of microorganisms found in a specific biological niche. It has been proven that in the human body, the microbiome is responsible for its proper functioning. Dysbiosis, i.e., a disturbance in the composition of the microbiome, may be associated with the pathogenesis of many human diseases. Until recently, studies did not focus on the microbiome of the urinary tract, because, since the 19th century, there had been a dogma that urine in healthy people is sterile. Yet, advances in molecular biology techniques have allowed this dogma to be overthrown. The use of DNA sequencing has shown that the urinary tract has its own endogenous microbiome. This discovery enabled further research on the characteristics of the urine microbiomes of healthy people, as well as on the role of the urine microbiome in the pathogenesis of many urological diseases, including bladder diseases. The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on the urinary microbiome in bladder diseases and to identify potential directions for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Chorbińska
- Department of Minimally Invasive and Robotic Urology, University Center of Excellence in Urology, Wrocław Medical University, 50-367 Wrocław, Poland; (W.K.); (Ł.N.); (B.M.)
| | - Wojciech Krajewski
- Department of Minimally Invasive and Robotic Urology, University Center of Excellence in Urology, Wrocław Medical University, 50-367 Wrocław, Poland; (W.K.); (Ł.N.); (B.M.)
| | - Łukasz Nowak
- Department of Minimally Invasive and Robotic Urology, University Center of Excellence in Urology, Wrocław Medical University, 50-367 Wrocław, Poland; (W.K.); (Ł.N.); (B.M.)
| | - Bartosz Małkiewicz
- Department of Minimally Invasive and Robotic Urology, University Center of Excellence in Urology, Wrocław Medical University, 50-367 Wrocław, Poland; (W.K.); (Ł.N.); (B.M.)
| | - Francesco Del Giudice
- Department of Maternal Infant and Urologic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Tomasz Szydełko
- University Center of Excellence in Urology, Wrocław Medical University, 50-367 Wrocław, Poland;
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Wanifuchi A, Kyoda Y, Ogasawara T, Kobayashi K, Ito N, Shindo T, Takahashi A, Kunishima Y, Masumori N. Difference in symptom manifestation between postmenopausal and premenopausal women in acute uncomplicated cystitis: A multi-institutional pilot study. Curr Urol 2023; 17:174-178. [PMID: 37448620 PMCID: PMC10337814 DOI: 10.1097/cu9.0000000000000197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives We aimed to prospectively compare lower urinary tract symptoms in premenopausal and postmenopausal women with acute uncomplicated cystitis before and after antibiotic therapy. Materials and methods This study included adult women with acute uncomplicated cystitis who visited 4 institutions between 2019 and 2020. After registration, we administered oral antibiotics and prospectively documented the changes in lower urinary tract symptoms from the first visit to a follow-up visit at 1 week using the Core Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Score (CLSS) questionnaire. Results After treatment, pyuria disappeared in 60 of the 66 patients (14 premenopausal and 46 postmenopausal). The CLSS total score (range) changed from 13 (3-29) to 4 (0-18) with a significant improvement in all CLSS items. At baseline, nocturia, urgency, and urgency incontinence were more prominent in postmenopausal women than in premenopausal women. In contrast, baseline urethral pain and quality of life index were more severe in premenopausal women than in postmenopausal women. After treatment, the CLSS total score was still higher in postmenopausal women, as reflected by the relatively higher scores for nocturia and urgency, irrespective of the comparable scores for urethral pain and the quality of life index in the 2 groups. Conclusions Our results suggest that if storage symptoms persist, they should be carefully interpreted according to menopausal status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Wanifuchi
- Department of Urology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yuki Kyoda
- Department of Urology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takuto Ogasawara
- Department of Urology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ko Kobayashi
- Department of Urology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Naoki Ito
- Department of Urology, NTT East Sapporo Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Shindo
- Department of Urology, Hakodate Goryoukaku Hospital, Hakodate, Japan
| | - Atsushi Takahashi
- Department of Urology, Hakodate Goryoukaku Hospital, Hakodate, Japan
| | | | - Naoya Masumori
- Department of Urology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
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Blyth M. Using evolutionary principles to make clinical decisions: a case series of urinary tract infections. Evol Med Public Health 2023; 11:287-293. [PMID: 37649729 PMCID: PMC10465264 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoad021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The principles of evolutionary medicine have significant potential to be useful in a wide variety of clinical situations. Despite this, few demonstrations of clinical applications exist. To address this paucity, a case series applying evolutionary medicine principles to urinary tract infections, a common medical condition is presented. This series demonstrates how applying evolutionary medicine principles can be used to augment clinical decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Blyth
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Louisiana State University, New Orleans LA, USA
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10
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Wu YR, Dong YH, Liu CJ, Tang XD, Zhang NN, Shen J, Wu Z, Li XR, Shao JY. Microbiological composition of follicular fluid in patients undergoing IVF and its association with infertility. Am J Reprod Immunol 2023; 89:e13652. [PMID: 36397134 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM In recent years, the incidence of female infertility has risen sharply, which is affected by many factors. It was recognized that female reproductive tract microbes play a role in the process of female conception. If the reproductive tract microbes could solve a certain proportion of infertility, it would certainly reduce the pain and economic burden of many patients. The objective of this study was to investigate the microbial community composition of follicular fluid in infertile patients and its potential impact on infertility. METHOD OF STUDY Follicular fluid from 49 primary infertility and 52 secondary infertility patients was collected by a negative pressure needle, and the microbiota was analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing. RESULTS It was found that Lactobacillus, especially L. crispatus, might have a positive effect on female pregnancy. Considering the presence or absence of male factors and different body mass indices, L. iners might inhibit female pregnancy. However, L. iners seemed to play a positive role in egg maturation, while Gardnerella and Cutibacterium acnes might have a negative effect on female pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS This study suggested the potential role of Lactobacillus in follicular fluid in improving female infertility and provided a theoretical basis for the future microbiological treatment of female infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue-Rong Wu
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Reproductive Medical Center of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yong-Hong Dong
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Chen-Jian Liu
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiao-Dan Tang
- Gastroenterology Department, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Gastroenterology Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ning-Nan Zhang
- Urology Department, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Urology Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Jie Shen
- Urology Department, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Urology Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ze Wu
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Reproductive Medical Center of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiao-Ran Li
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Jing-Yi Shao
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Reproductive Medical Center of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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11
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Choi HW, Lee KW, Kim YH. Microbiome in urological diseases: Axis crosstalk and bladder disorders. Investig Clin Urol 2023; 64:126-139. [PMID: 36882171 PMCID: PMC9995957 DOI: 10.4111/icu.20220357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the identification of the human urinary microbiome, numerous studies have characterized this microbial community and improved our knowledge of its association with urinary diseases. This association between urinary diseases and microbiota is not confined to the urinary microbiota; it is interconnected with the microbiota of other organs. The gastrointestinal, vaginal, kidney, and bladder microbiota all affect urinary diseases because they work with their respective organs to control the growth and operation of the immune, metabolic, and nervous systems through dynamic bidirectional communication along the bladder-centered axis. Therefore, disturbances in the microbial communities may result in the emergence of urinary diseases. In this review, we describe the increasing and intriguing evidence of complicated and critical relationships that may contribute to the development and progression of urinary diseases through disruption of the microbiota in various organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hae Woong Choi
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kwang Woo Lee
- Department of Urology, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Korea
| | - Young Ho Kim
- Department of Urology, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Korea.
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Lee YS, Khan AA. Financial Toxicity for Female Patients with Urinary Incontinence. Curr Urol Rep 2023; 24:33-39. [PMID: 36527587 DOI: 10.1007/s11934-022-01130-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common global condition that has been noted to disproportionately affect women. In this review, the authors present discussion of factors contributing to cost of care and various modalities of cost-effective care for UI for female patients. RECENT FINDINGS We found insurance and out-of-pocket (OOP) costs strongly impact of costs for patients. Further, in evaluation of UI, diagnosis can be a costly multi-step process for effective treatment. Treatment can be multimodal, including non-surgical (e.g., pessary, vaginal insert, pelvic floor muscle training, or PFMT), of which PFMT is a cost-effective, effective, and accessible treatment. Pharmacologic management is generally second-line for overactive bladder, but anti-muscarinic drugs and beta-3 agonists are cost-effective depending on willingness-to-pay and the health system in which they are acquired, respectively. Surgical management is considered the most cost-effective treatment as willingness-to-pay increased, with minimally invasive slings being the mainstay. Other relatively novel treatments are also discussed (e.g., EMSELLA) but require further research. Additionally, we discuss systematic barriers in decisions to seek care for urinary incontinence. Urologists are key agents in treating UI for their female patients, and seeking cost-effective options for treatment remains pivotal for quality care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeonsoo S Lee
- Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Aqsa A Khan
- Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
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13
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Ligon MM, Joshi CS, Fashemi BE, Salazar AM, Mysorekar IU. Effects of aging on urinary tract epithelial homeostasis and immunity. Dev Biol 2023; 493:29-39. [PMID: 36368522 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A global increase in older individuals creates an increasing demand to understand numerous healthcare challenges related to aging. This population is subject to changes in tissue physiology and the immune response network. Older individuals are particularly susceptible to infectious diseases, with one of the most common being urinary tract infections (UTIs). Postmenopausal and older women have the highest risk of recurrent UTIs (rUTIs); however, why rUTIs become more frequent after menopause and during old age is incompletely understood. This increased susceptibility and severity among older individuals may involve functional changes to the immune system with age. Aging also has substantial effects on the epithelium and the immune system that led to impaired protection against pathogens, yet heightened and prolonged inflammation. How the immune system and its responses to infection changes within the bladder mucosa during aging has largely remained poorly understood. In this review, we highlight our understanding of bladder innate and adaptive immunity and the impact of aging and hormones and hormone therapy on bladder epithelial homeostasis and immunity. In particular, we elaborate on how the cellular and molecular immune landscape within the bladder can be altered during aging as aged mice develop bladder tertiary lymphoid tissues (bTLT), which are absent in young mice leading to profound age-associated change to the immune landscape in bladders that might drive the significant increase in UTI susceptibility. Knowledge of host factors that prevent or promote infection can lead to targeted treatment and prevention regimens. This review also identifies unique host factors to consider in the older, female host for improving rUTI treatment and prevention by dissecting the age-associated alteration of the bladder mucosal immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne M Ligon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Chetanchandra S Joshi
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Bisiayo E Fashemi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Arnold M Salazar
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Indira U Mysorekar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA; Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology and Virology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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14
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Zhang Y, Yang H, Lin L, Yang W, Xiong G, Gao G. The relationship between pelvic floor functions and vaginal microbiota in 6–8 weeks postpartum women. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:975406. [DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.975406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The impairment of pelvic floor muscle functions and Lactobacillus-deficient vaginal microbiota is common in postpartum women. However, few studies have explored the correlation between pelvic floor muscle functions and vaginal microbiota. Given this research gap, our study aims to investigate any potential association between these two conditions of postpartum women (6–8 weeks after childbirth). A total of 230 women who required postpartum pelvic floor function examination at Peking University International Hospital from December 2021 to April 2022 were enrolled in this study. The collected questionnaire information included progestational weight, body mass index (BMI), weight gain during pregnancy, neonatal weight, delivery type, multiparity, postpartum time, and urinary incontinence (UI). A total of 187 samples of vaginal secretions were collected, and the vaginal microbiota was detected by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Finally, 183 samples were analyzed in the trial. All individuals were divided into two groups according to the results of pelvic floor muscle assessment to explore the difference between the incidence of postpartum urinary incontinence and vaginal microbiota. We found that the prevalence of UI was higher in the group with weakened pelvic floor muscles. Vaginal delivery, overweight, age, neonatal weight, and weight gain during pregnancy were all risk factors for postpartum urinary incontinence. The vaginal microbiome was no longer Lactobacillus dominant of most postpartum women (91.8%), while the diversity of microbiota increased. The Lactobacillus-deficient community, commonly labeled as community state type (CST) IV, was sub-divided into four communities. The abundance of vaginal Lactobacillus decreased in the group with compromised pelvic muscle functions, while the species richness and diversity increased significantly. In conclusion, the decreased pelvic floor muscle functions of postpartum women 6–8 weeks after delivery may disrupt the balance of vaginal microbiota, and the restoration of pelvic floor functions may contribute to a healthy and balanced vaginal microbiota.
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Neugent ML, Kumar A, Hulyalkar NV, Lutz KC, Nguyen VH, Fuentes JL, Zhang C, Nguyen A, Sharon BM, Kuprasertkul A, Arute AP, Ebrahimzadeh T, Natesan N, Xing C, Shulaev V, Li Q, Zimmern PE, Palmer KL, De Nisco NJ. Recurrent urinary tract infection and estrogen shape the taxonomic ecology and function of the postmenopausal urogenital microbiome. Cell Rep Med 2022; 3:100753. [PMID: 36182683 PMCID: PMC9588997 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Postmenopausal women are severely affected by recurrent urinary tract infection (rUTI). The urogenital microbiome is a key component of the urinary environment. However, changes in the urogenital microbiome underlying rUTI susceptibility are unknown. Here, we perform shotgun metagenomics and advanced culture on urine from a controlled cohort of postmenopausal women to identify urogenital microbiome compositional and function changes linked to rUTI susceptibility. We identify candidate taxonomic biomarkers of rUTI susceptibility in postmenopausal women and an enrichment of lactobacilli in postmenopausal women taking estrogen hormone therapy. We find robust correlations between Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus and urinary estrogens in women without urinary tract infection (UTI) history. Functional analyses reveal distinct metabolic and antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) signatures associated with rUTI. Importantly, we find that ARGs are enriched in the urogenital microbiomes of women with rUTI history independent of current UTI status. Our data suggest that rUTI and estrogen shape the urogenital microbiome in postmenopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Neugent
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Ashwani Kumar
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Neha V Hulyalkar
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Kevin C Lutz
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Vivian H Nguyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Jorge L Fuentes
- Department of Urology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Cong Zhang
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Amber Nguyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Belle M Sharon
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Amy Kuprasertkul
- Department of Urology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Amanda P Arute
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Tahmineh Ebrahimzadeh
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Nitya Natesan
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Chao Xing
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Bioinformatics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Population and Data Sciences, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Vladimir Shulaev
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA; Advanced Environmental Research Institute, The University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA
| | - Qiwei Li
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Philippe E Zimmern
- Department of Urology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kelli L Palmer
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Nicole J De Nisco
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA; Department of Urology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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Sun Q, Li L, Zhou H, Wu Y, Gao Y, Wu B, Qiu Y, Zhou Z, Song Q, Zhao J, Wu P. The detection of urinary viruses is associated with aggravated symptoms and altered bacteriome in female with overactive bladder. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:984234. [PMID: 36212847 PMCID: PMC9537457 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.984234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Although it is known that changes in bacterial components of the urinary microbiome are associated with overactive bladder (OAB), the specific role of viruses is still insufficiently investigated. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the role of urinary viruses in woman with OAB, and analyze the potential relationship between viruses, bacteria and disease. Catheterized urine samples were collected from 55 women with OAB and 18 control individuals. OAB patients fulfilling the following criteria were considered eligible for this study: female, 18 years of age or older; presented with classic OAB symptoms defined by the International Continence Society; and OAB Symptom Score (OABSS) total score ≥ 3 points and question 3 (urgency) score ≥ 2 points. Based on results of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), all participants were divided into virus-infected and virus-uninfected groups for analysis. The results of mNGS showed that the diversity of the OAB group was lower than that of the control group when focused on bacterial sequences, which was consistent with our previous study. According to the questionnaire filled out by the patients, OABSS and 8-item OAB questionnaire, female OAB patients who had viruses detected in their urine had more severe symptoms. In parallel, John Cunningham virus (mainly subtype 7 and subtype 2) was the most frequently detected virus in urine. Correlation analysis indicated that risk factors for virus infection in OAB patients include age, habit of holding urine and pelvic surgery history. Given our preliminary data, viral infection can aggravate OAB severity and affect the composition of bacterial. Further research is required to explain how viral infections can aggravate OAB patient symptoms and cause bacterial changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Sun
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Leqian Li
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hao Zhou
- Department of Hospital Infection Management, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Wu
- School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yubo Gao
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bingyi Wu
- Medical Research Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yifeng Qiu
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhipeng Zhou
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qixiang Song
- Department of Urology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Qixiang Song,
| | - Jie Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Jie Zhao,
| | - Peng Wu
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Peng Wu,
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17
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Siddiqui NY, Ma L, Brubaker L, Mao J, Hoffman C, Dahl EM, Wang Z, Karstens L. Updating Urinary Microbiome Analyses to Enhance Biologic Interpretation. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:789439. [PMID: 35899056 PMCID: PMC9309214 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.789439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
ObjectiveAn approach for assessing the urinary microbiome is 16S rRNA gene sequencing, where analysis methods are rapidly evolving. This re-analysis of an existing dataset aimed to determine whether updated bioinformatic and statistical techniques affect clinical inferences.MethodsA prior study compared the urinary microbiome in 123 women with mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) and 84 controls. We obtained unprocessed sequencing data from multiple variable regions, processed operational taxonomic unit (OTU) tables from the original analysis, and de-identified clinical data. We re-processed sequencing data with DADA2 to generate amplicon sequence variant (ASV) tables. Taxa from ASV tables were compared to the original OTU tables; taxa from different variable regions after updated processing were also compared. Bayesian graphical compositional regression (BGCR) was used to test for associations between microbial compositions and clinical phenotypes (e.g., MUI versus control) while adjusting for clinical covariates. Several techniques were used to cluster samples into microbial communities. Multivariable regression was used to test for associations between microbial communities and MUI, again while adjusting for potentially confounding variables.ResultsOf taxa identified through updated bioinformatic processing, only 40% were identified originally, though taxa identified through both methods represented >99% of the sequencing data in terms of relative abundance. Different 16S rRNA gene regions resulted in different recovered taxa. With BGCR analysis, there was a low (33.7%) probability of an association between overall microbial compositions and clinical phenotype. However, when microbial data are clustered into bacterial communities, we confirmed that bacterial communities are associated with MUI. Contrary to the originally published analysis, we did not identify different associations by age group, which may be due to the incorporation of different covariates in statistical models.ConclusionsUpdated bioinformatic processing techniques recover different taxa compared to earlier techniques, though most of these differences exist in low abundance taxa that occupy a small proportion of the overall microbiome. While overall microbial compositions are not associated with MUI, we confirmed associations between certain communities of bacteria and MUI. Incorporation of several covariates that are associated with the urinary microbiome improved inferences when assessing for associations between bacterial communities and MUI in multivariable models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazema Y. Siddiqui
- Division of Urogynecology & Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
- *Correspondence: Nazema Y. Siddiqui,
| | - Li Ma
- Department of Statistical Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Linda Brubaker
- Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Jialiang Mao
- Department of Statistical Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Carter Hoffman
- Division of Bioinformatics and Computational Biomedicine, Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Erin M. Dahl
- Division of Bioinformatics and Computational Biomedicine, Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Zhuoqun Wang
- Department of Statistical Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Lisa Karstens
- Division of Bioinformatics and Computational Biomedicine, Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Division of Urogynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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18
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Cole E, Shaikh N, Forster CS. The pediatric urobiome in genitourinary conditions: a narrative review. Pediatr Nephrol 2022; 37:1443-1452. [PMID: 34654953 DOI: 10.1007/s00467-021-05274-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The microbial ecosystem within the bladder that can be measured within the urine, or urobiome, is an emerging field of study with little published data regarding children. However, investigations into urobiome research have the potential to significantly impact the understanding of the pathophysiology of genitourinary conditions, as well as potentially identify novel therapeutics. Therefore, both researchers and clinicians should be aware of pediatric urobiome research. The purpose of this review is to highlight the literature around urobiome research in urinary tract infections, nephrolithiasis, and neurogenic bladder; comment on pediatric-specific considerations when reading and interpreting the urobiome literature; and to identify new potential areas of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Cole
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 4401 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA
| | - Nader Shaikh
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 4401 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA
| | - Catherine S Forster
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 4401 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA.
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Lillemon JN, Karstens L, Nardos R, Garg B, Boniface ER, Gregory WT. The Impact of Local Estrogen on the Urogenital Microbiome in Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: A Randomized-Controlled Trial. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg 2022; 28:e157-62. [PMID: 35420551 DOI: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The postmenopausal urinary bladder microbiome is not well defined. OBJECTIVES The aims of this study were to characterize the effect of vaginal estrogen on the vaginal and urinary bladder microbiome in postmenopausal women and describe any clinical associations with the symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause. STUDY DESIGN This was a participant-masked, randomized controlled trial comparing the effect of a 12-week course of an estrogen-containing vaginal ring to a placebo vaginal ring. Standardized evaluations were performed at baseline and 12 weeks. Vaginal samples were obtained for pH, vaginal maturation index, and microbiome analysis. Concomitant catheterized urine samples were obtained for microbiome analysis. 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was performed to characterize the resident microbial communities, with Lactobacillus relative abundance as the primary outcome variable. Genitourinary syndrome of menopause symptoms was measured using validated questionnaires (Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-Short Form, Female Sexual Function Index, Vulvovaginal Symptoms Questionnaire). RESULTS Of the 39 postmenopausal women randomized, baseline characteristics were similar between arms, with a mean age of 62 years and mean vaginal pH of 5.0. Using intention-to-treat analysis, there were no significant changes in vaginal or urinary Lactobacillus relative abundance. Two participants in each arm removed their ring prior to the end of the study. Eighty percent of participants experienced at least 1 bothersome genitourinary syndrome of menopause symptom. Vulvovaginal dryness and urinary frequency were most common at baseline, whereas painful intercourse and urinary urgency were most common at the final visit, none of which were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Our study did not show a significant change in the bacterial composition of the vaginal or urinary bladder microbiome after either vaginal ring in this relatively asymptomatic postmenopausal population.
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Bae S, Chung H. The Urobiome and Its Role in Overactive Bladder. Int Neurourol J 2022. [PMID: 35468617 DOI: 10.5213/inj.2244016.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Urine is no longer considered to be sterile. After the existence of the microbiome was revealed through metagenomic analysis using next-generation sequencing, the relationship between characteristics of the microbiome and diseases have been studied and published in various journals. A microbiome exists in the urinary tract and is associated with urinary tract infection, malignancy of the genitourinary tract, and lower urinary tract symptoms. Based on the urine sampling method, sampling site, culture method, and sex, the characteristics of the microbiome vary. Most of the Lactobacillus species are identified mainly in women, and various other species are identified in men. These microorganisms can cause or prevent various diseases. Variations in the microbiome are seen in those with and without disease, and an asymptomatic status does not indicate the absence of microbes. This microbiome has been implicated in a variety of lower urinary tract symptoms and diseases, in particular, overactive bladder. The microbiome differs between patients with urgency and urge urinary incontinence and healthy individuals. There are many aspects of the microbiome yet to be studied in relation to other lower urinary tract symptoms.
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Nardos R, Leung ET, Dahl EM, Davin S, Asquith M, Gregory WT, Karstens L. Network-Based Differences in the Vaginal and Bladder Microbial Communities Between Women With and Without Urgency Urinary Incontinence. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:759156. [PMID: 35402312 PMCID: PMC8988226 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.759156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Little is known about the relationship of proximal urogenital microbiomes in the bladder and the vagina and how this contributes to bladder health. In this study, we use a microbial ecology and network framework to understand the dynamics of interactions/co-occurrences of bacteria in the bladder and vagina in women with and without urgency urinary incontinence (UUI). Methods We collected vaginal swabs and catheterized urine specimens from 20 women with UUI (cases) and 30 women without UUI (controls). We sequenced the V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene and evaluated using alpha and beta diversity metrics. We used microbial network analysis to detect interactions in the microbiome and the betweenness centrality measure to identify central bacteria in the microbial network. Bacteria exhibiting maximum betweenness centrality are considered central to the microbe-wide networks and likely maintain the overall microbial network structure. Results There were no significant differences in the vaginal or bladder microbiomes between cases and controls using alpha and beta diversity. Silhouette metric analysis identified two distinct microbiome clusters in both the bladder and vagina. One cluster was dominated by Lactobacillus genus while the other was more diverse. Network-based analyses demonstrated that vaginal and bladder microbial networks were different between cases and controls. In the vagina, there were similar numbers of genera and subgroup clusters in each network for cases and controls. However, cases tend to have more unique bacterial co-occurrences. While Bacteroides and Lactobacillus were the central bacteria with the highest betweenness centrality in controls, Aerococcus had the highest centrality in cases and correlated with bacteria commonly associated with bacterial vaginosis. In the bladder, cases have less than half as many network clusters compared to controls. Lactobacillus was the central bacteria in both groups but associated with several known uropathogens in cases. The number of shared bacterial genera between the bladder and the vagina differed between cases and controls, with cases having larger overlap (43%) compared to controls (29%). Conclusion Our study shows overlaps in microbial communities of bladder and vagina, with higher overlap in cases. We also identified differences in the bacteria that are central to the overall community structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahel Nardos
- Division of Urogynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- *Correspondence: Rahel Nardos,
| | - Eric T. Leung
- Division of Bioinformatics and Computational Biomedicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Erin M. Dahl
- Division of Bioinformatics and Computational Biomedicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Sean Davin
- Division of Arthritis and Rheumatology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Mark Asquith
- Division of Arthritis and Rheumatology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - W. Thomas Gregory
- Division of Urogynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Lisa Karstens
- Division of Urogynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Division of Bioinformatics and Computational Biomedicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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22
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Sze C, Pressler M, Lee JR, Chughtai B. The gut, vaginal, and urine microbiome in overactive bladder: a systematic review. Int Urogynecol J 2022; 33:1157-1164. [PMID: 35237854 DOI: 10.1007/s00192-022-05127-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS The objective was to systemically review the current literature on the association of gut, vaginal, and urinary dysbiosis in female patients with overactive bladder (OAB). METHODS We performed a comprehensive literature search following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) protocols for systematic reviews. In the EMBASE, CINAHL, and Medline databases, a search was conducted using key words such as "microbiome," "microbiota," "microflora," "overactive bladder," "urge," "gut," "vaginal." Articles were screened using the online tool www.covidence.org . Two independent reviewers screened studies at each stage and resolved conflicts together. We excluded papers that discussed pediatric patients and animal studies. In total, 13 articles met this criterion, which included 6 abstracts. RESULTS After identifying 817 unique references, 13 articles met the criteria for data extraction. Articles were published from 2017 to 2021. No study reported the same microbiota abundance, even in healthy individuals. Overall, there was a loss of bacterial diversity in OAB patients compared with controls. Additionally, the bacterial composition of the controls and OAB patients was not significantly different, especially if the urine was collected midstream. Overall, the composition of the microbiome is dependent on the specimen collection methodology, and the metagenomic sequencing technique utilized. OAB urine microbiome is more predisposed to alteration from the gut or vaginal influences than in controls. CONCLUSIONS Current evidence suggested a potential relationship among gut, vaginal, and urinary microbiome in OAB patients, but there are very limited studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Sze
- Department of Urology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - John Richard Lee
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bilal Chughtai
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine/New York Presbyterian Hospital, 525 E. 68th Street, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
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Abstract
Understanding the interplay between the microbiome and menopause holds promise for new interventions to alleviate menopausal symptoms and improve quality of life for women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Łaniewski
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine–Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Melissa M. Herbst-Kralovetz
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine–Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine–Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA.,Correspondence:
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Kenneally C, Murphy CP, Sleator RD, Culligan EP. The Urinary Microbiome and Biological Therapeutics: Novel Therapies For Urinary Tract Infections. Microbiol Res 2022; 259:127010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2022.127010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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RICHTER HOLLYE, CARNES MEGANU, KOMESU YUKOM, LUKACZ EMILYS, ARYA LILY, BRADLEY MEGAN, ROGERS REBECCAG, SUNG VIVIANW, SIDDIQUI NAZEMAY, CARPER BENJAMIN, MAZLOOMDOOST DONNA, DINWIDDIE DARRYL, GANTZ MARIEG. Association between the urogenital microbiome and surgical treatment response in women undergoing midurethral sling operation for mixed urinary incontinence. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022; 226:93.e1-93.e15. [PMID: 34297969 PMCID: PMC8748268 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The urogenital microbiome is associated with urgency and mixed urinary incontinence symptoms and differential treatment responses to pharmacotherapy for urgency urinary incontinence. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to describe whether the preoperative urinary and vaginal microbiomes were associated with surgical treatment responses at 12 months after a midurethral sling operation in women with mixed urinary incontinence. STUDY DESIGN This cohort study compared the preoperative microbiome compositions of urine and vaginal samples from a subset of women undergoing a midurethral sling operation in the Effects of Surgical Treatment Enhanced With Exercise for Mixed Urinary Incontinence trial (NCT01959347) and compared the microbiota in women who were surgical responders vs surgical nonresponders. Twelve-month objective response was defined as a ≥70% reduction from baseline urinary incontinence episodes on a 3-day diary. Subjective response was defined as a change from baseline in the Urogenital Distress Inventory scores. Bacterial abundance and beta diversity were assessed using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. The primary differential abundance analysis described predominant bacterial operational taxonomic units associated with responders vs nonresponders using unadjusted and age-adjusted linear models. RESULTS Objective nonresponders (n=28) compared with responders (n=72) were older (58.5±10.7 vs 51.6±10.2 years) and more likely postmenopausal without hormone use (odds ratio, 6.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-22.6). Vaginal and urinary microbiota beta diversities were associated with age (P<.05) for both responders and nonresponders. Overall, predominant operational taxonomic units (genera) were Lactobacillus, Gardnerella, Tepidimonas, Escherichia, Streptococcus, and Prevotella. Operational taxonomic units from baseline urine samples were not significantly associated (P threshold=.05) with surgical treatment responses. A greater abundance of baseline vaginal Lactobacillus was associated with an objective response (P=.04) and Prevotella with an objective nonresponse (P=.01). Adjusting for age, only a greater abundance of baseline vaginal Prevotella was associated with an objective nonresponse (P=.01). Moreover, less abundant vaginal operational taxonomic units were associated with objective and subjective responses and persistent urinary incontinence symptoms (P<.05). CONCLUSION Women meeting a 70% reduction of urinary incontinence treatment episodes (objective responders) had greater vaginal Lactobacillus at the time of the surgical procedure; however, controlling for age diminished this association. Women not meeting a 70% reduction of urinary incontinence episodes 1 year after a midurethral sling operation had greater vaginal Prevotella at the time of the midurethral sling operation. Further research is needed to determine whether therapy altering the vaginal microbiome may impact surgical treatment responses in women with mixed urinary incontinence.
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Affiliation(s)
- HOLLY E. RICHTER
- Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - MEGAN U. CARNES
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Division, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - YUKO M. KOMESU
- Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - EMILY S. LUKACZ
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - LILY ARYA
- Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - MEGAN BRADLEY
- Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - REBECCA G. ROGERS
- Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dell Medical School University of Texas Austin, Austin TX, United States
| | - VIVIAN W. SUNG
- Obstetrics & Gynecology, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | | | - BENJAMIN CARPER
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Division, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - DONNA MAZLOOMDOOST
- Gynecologic Health and Disease Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - DARRYL DINWIDDIE
- Pediatrics, Clinical Translational Science Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - MARIE G. GANTZ
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Division, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
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Abernethy MG, Tsuei A. The bladder microbiome and interstitial cystitis: is there a connection? Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol 2021; 33:469-473. [PMID: 34475365 DOI: 10.1097/gco.0000000000000747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (PBS) is a debilitating condition, the etiology of which remains unclear and for which there are variable and often unsatisfactory treatment options. Within the last decade, evolving knowledge regarding the presence and role of the urinary microbiome has led to investigations regarding its impact on symptoms and severity of interstitial cystitis PBS. RECENT FINDINGS Since 2017, five studies have investigated differences between the microbiome of female patients with interstitial cystitis /PBS to asymptomatic controls. While varied in methodology, specifically with regard to urine collection processing and microbial detection, the majority of studies (4/5) found no association between urinary microbiota and interstitial cystitis /PBS. SUMMARY Research regarding the role of the urinary microbiome and lower urinary tract function and dysfunction, including interstitial cystitis /BPS, remains in preliminary stages. While data regarding the role of lactobacillus in lower urinary tract homeostasis is inconclusive, further research is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda G Abernethy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
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Atzler M, Westhofen T, Tamalunas A, Schott M, Keller P, Ebner B, Stief C, Magistro G. [The role of the microbiome in urological diseases]. Aktuelle Urol 2021; 52:338-344. [PMID: 34102684 DOI: 10.1055/a-1478-2960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The use of modern molecular technologies in the last decade has given us new insights into the complex interactions of the human microbiome in health and in the pathogenesis of diseases. Among other things, the sterility concept of the urinary tract has been discarded and the goal is now to identify the different microbial signatures associated with various diseases. Dysbalances of the microbiome are increasingly suspected of causing negative effects on various malignant and benign diseases. Recently, such associations have also been shown for prostate carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma and urinary bladder carcinoma. This may lead to the discovery of new potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and as a therapeutic target of the diseases mentioned. For the diagnosis of some benign diseases such as interstitial cystitis, urge incontinence and chronic prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome, microbial involvement was previously considered an exclusion criterion. However, current studies show that the individual patient's microbiome can have an influence on the development and severity of the respective disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Atzler
- Urologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Campus Großhadern, München, Deutschland
| | - Thilo Westhofen
- Urologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Campus Großhadern, München, Deutschland
| | - Alexander Tamalunas
- Urologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Campus Großhadern, München, Deutschland
| | - Melanie Schott
- Urologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Campus Großhadern, München, Deutschland
| | - Patrick Keller
- Urologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Campus Großhadern, München, Deutschland
| | - Benedikt Ebner
- Urologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Campus Großhadern, München, Deutschland
| | - Christian Stief
- Urologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Campus Großhadern, München, Deutschland
| | - Giuseppe Magistro
- Urologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Campus Großhadern, München, Deutschland
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Pérez-López FR, Vieira-Baptista P, Phillips N, Cohen-Sacher B, Fialho SCAV, Stockdale CK. Clinical manifestations and evaluation of postmenopausal vulvovaginal atrophy. Gynecol Endocrinol 2021; 37:740-745. [PMID: 34036849 DOI: 10.1080/09513590.2021.1931100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION It is estimated that 50% of women will suffer a severe form of vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) related to menopause. Equally, young women may temporarily present this clinical problem while receiving various pharmacological or endocrine treatments or radiotherapy. AIM To determine clinical and diagnostic exams required to confirm the presence of VVA (also referred to as atrophic vaginitis, urogenital atrophy, or genitourinary syndrome of menopause) and rule out other genital or pelvic clinical conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS Literature review searches were carried out on the main scientific article search engines (PubMed, SciELO, Cochrane) using different clinical terms, treatments or interventions and comorbidity related to VVA. RESULTS The development and severity of VVA depend mainly on the duration of hypoestrogenism. Hypoestrogenism causes changes in the urogenital tissue, generating signs and symptoms, such as dryness, burning, soreness, itching, and irritation of the genital skin. The diagnosis can be made through anamnesis (patient history), questionnaires, physical exam, and, sometimes, complementary exams. Objective vaginal assessment is essential and can be completed with the Vaginal Health Index, the Vaginal Maturation Index, or vaginal pH in the absence of infection or semen. The exclusion of other vulvovaginal organic pathology is essential to reach an accurate diagnosis and provide adequate treatment. CONCLUSIONS The specialist should be able to identify VVA, rule out other pathologies that make a differential diagnosis and conduct proper management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faustino R Pérez-López
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Zaragoza Faculty of Medicine, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Pedro Vieira-Baptista
- Hospital Lusíadas Porto, Porto, Portugal
- LAP, Unilabs, Porto, Portugal
- Lower Genital Tract Unit, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nancy Phillips
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Bina Cohen-Sacher
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Israel
| | - Susana C A V Fialho
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Federal Fluminense Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Colleen K Stockdale
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
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Brown SE, Robinson CK, Shardell MD, Holm JB, Ravel J, Ghanem KG, Brotman RM. Assessing the Concordance Between Urogenital and Vaginal Microbiota: Can Urine Specimens Be Used as a Proxy for Vaginal Samples? Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:671413. [PMID: 34268137 PMCID: PMC8276069 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.671413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The vaginal microbiota play a key role in defense against reproductive tract infections; however, many population-based women's health studies do not collect vaginal samples. Molecular examinations of urine samples have revealed common vaginal bacteria. We sought to assess the extent that community state type assignments of archived random-catch and clean-catch urine samples agreed with the paired vaginal samples in both reproductive-age and peri/post-menopausal women. Results Using archived samples, we evaluated the microbiota concordance among women in three studies: two with paired mid-vaginal/random-catch urine (N=91 reproductive-age participants and N=13 peri/post-menopausal participants), and one with paired mid-vaginal/clean-catch urine (N=99 reproductive-age participants). Microbiota composition was characterized by sequencing amplicons of the 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 regions and assigned to community state types. Similarity of paired samples was gauged using agreement of community state types and Yue-Clayton θ indices. Analysis of Composition of Microbiomes II indicated which taxa were differently relatively abundant in paired vaginal and urine samples. In reproductive-age women, random-catch and clean-catch urines were 89.0% and 86.9% concordant on five community state types with paired mid-vaginal swabs, and Kappa statistics indicated almost perfect agreement (κrandom-catch=.85, κclean-catch=.81, p<0.0001). A small number of pairs of samples were discordant (23/190, 12%), and discordant pairs tended to be between samples classified to L. iners-dominated and/or low-Lactobacillus states. Concordance and agreement remained similar when dichotomizing the microbiota to Lactobacillus-dominated versus low-Lactobacillus microbiota, as well as when evaluating separately the three subtypes of the low-Lactobacillus community state type IV. Median similarity of paired urine/vaginal samples was high (θrandom-catch=.85, θclean-catch=.88), and a comparison of the random-catch and clean-catch similarity scores showed no significant difference (p=.80). Concordance and similarity were lower for peri/post-menopausal women, but agreement remained substantial (76.9% concordant, κrandom-catch= 0.64, θrandom-catch=.62). Taxonomic-level analysis confirmed these findings. Conclusions Random-catch and clean-catch urine samples showed substantial agreement on bacterial composition to paired mid-vaginal samples, indicating that the genitourinary microbiota may be a reliable proxy for assessing the overall composition of the vaginal microbiota via community state types. This data suggests that urine samples can, with proper interpretation, be utilized as a surrogate for developing preliminary data and hypothesis-generating studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Brown
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Courtney K. Robinson
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Michelle D. Shardell
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Johanna B. Holm
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jacques Ravel
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Khalil G. Ghanem
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Rebecca M. Brotman
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,*Correspondence: Rebecca M. Brotman,
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Roberts K, Mahajan S. Management of Urgency and Mixed Urinary Incontinence. Clin Obstet Gynecol 2021; 64:306-313. [PMID: 33904838 DOI: 10.1097/grf.0000000000000619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Urinary incontinence (UI) is a prevalent disorder that significantly affects quality of life. This article reviews management of urgency and mixed UI by breaking the management algorithm down into observation, lifestyle and behavioral changes, pharmacologic therapy, and procedural management. Stress UI is best managed with mid-urethral slings and is covered in other chapters. Behavioral and pharmacologic management are equally efficacious for urgency UI, but procedural therapy is superior. Mixed UI is conventionally treated by first managing whichever UI subtype is most bothersome. The management of overflow UI is directed at its underlying etiology: detrusor underactivity or bladder outlet obstruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasey Roberts
- University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
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Burnett LA, Hochstedler BR, Weldon K, Wolfe AJ, Brubaker L. Recurrent urinary tract infection: Association of clinical profiles with urobiome composition in women. Neurourol Urodyn 2021; 40:1479-1489. [PMID: 34036621 DOI: 10.1002/nau.24707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Clinical profiles of women with recurrent urinary tract infection (RUTI) are correlated with their urinary microbes. METHODS This IRB-approved, cross-sectional study enrolled adult women with RUTI. Urine samples (catheterized and voided) underwent culture by expanded quantitative urine culture (EQUC) and standard urine culture (SUC) methods. A validated symptom questionnaire, relevant clinical variables, and EQUC were used to identify symptom clusters and detect associations with specific urinary microbes. RESULTS Most (36/43) participants were postmenopausal; the average age was 67 years. 51% reported vaginal estrogen use; 51% reported sexual activity. Although single symptoms were not associated with specific urinary microbes, EQUC results were correlated with five distinct clinical profile clusters: Group A: odor, cloudiness, and current vaginal estrogen use (no culture result association). Group B: frequency, low back pain, incomplete emptying, and vaginal estrogen (significantly increased proportion of Lactobacillus-positive cultures). Group C: pain/burning, odor, cloudiness, and urgency (high proportions of UTI-associated microbe-positive cultures). Group D: frequency, urgency, pain/burning, and current vaginal estrogen use (increased number of no growth cultures). Group E: frequency, urgency, pain/burning, odor, overactive bladder, and sexually active (significantly increased proportion of Klebsiella-positive cultures). CONCLUSIONS Distinct clinical profiles are associated with specific urinary microbes in women with RUTI. Refined assessments of clinical profiles may provide useful insights that could inform diagnostic and therapeutic considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey A Burnett
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Baylie R Hochstedler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois, USA
| | - Kelly Weldon
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Alan J Wolfe
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois, USA
| | - Linda Brubaker
- Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
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Anglim B, Phillips C, Shynlova O, Alarab M. The effect of local estrogen therapy on the urinary microbiome composition of postmenopausal women with and without recurrent urinary tract infections. Int Urogynecol J 2021; 33:2107-2117. [PMID: 34003309 DOI: 10.1007/s00192-021-04832-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS Recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs) occur in 2-10% of postmenopausal women. Local estrogen therapy (LET) has been shown to reduce UTIs. This study aimed to compare the urinary microbiome between patients with and without a history of rUTIs and to examine whether treatment with LET influences the diversity and richness of microbiome species in two groups. METHODS Postmenopausal women with and without rUTIs attending the urogynecology clinic between April 2019 and December 2020 were recruited. Participant baseline characteristics and demographics were recorded. Aseptic transurethral urine samples were collected at recruitment and at 3-6 months following treatment with LET. The V1-V2 and ITS regions of the 16S rRNA gene were sequenced to identify bacteria. RESULTS A total of 37 women were recruited, 20 controls and 17 patients with rUTI. During follow-up, symptomatic UTIs occurred in 3/17 (17.6%) and 0/20 in the rUTI group and control group, respectively. Klebsiella aerogenes was present in 80% of rUTI samples and in 53.3% of control samples before LET. Abundance of Finegoldia magna was present in 33.3% of samples before LET, but only in 6.7% after LET. There was no change in relative abundance of lactobacillus species following LET in both groups. CONCLUSIONS Treatment with vaginal LET altered the local hormonal environment of the urinary bladder and likely protected women from development of rUTI by decreasing the presence of F. magna. To confirm the significance of this bacterial species in rUTI symptomatology, our finding needs to be validated on a larger patient cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breffini Anglim
- Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X5, Canada.
| | - Caleb Phillips
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Oksana Shynlova
- Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X5, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - May Alarab
- Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X5, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Putonti C, Thomas-White K, Crum E, Hilt EE, Price TK, Wolfe AJ. Genome Investigation of Urinary Gardnerella Strains and Their Relationship to Isolates of the Vaginal Microbiota. mSphere 2021; 6:e00154-21. [PMID: 33980674 DOI: 10.1128/mSphere.00154-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Gardnerella is a frequent member of the urogenital microbiota. Given the association between Gardnerella vaginalis and bacterial vaginosis (BV), significant efforts have been focused on characterizing this species in the vaginal microbiota. However, Gardnerella also is a frequent member of the urinary microbiota. In an effort to characterize the bacterial species of the urinary microbiota, we present here 10 genomes of urinary Gardnerella isolates from women with and without lower urinary tract symptoms. These genomes complement those of 22 urinary Gardnerella strains previously isolated and sequenced by our team. We included these genomes in a comparative genome analysis of all publicly available Gardnerella genomes, which include 33 urinary isolates, 78 vaginal isolates, and 2 other isolates. While once this genus was thought to consist of a single species, recent comparative genome analyses have revealed 3 new species and an additional 9 groups within Gardnerella Based upon our analysis, we suggest a new group for the species. We also find that distinction between these Gardnerella species/groups is possible only when considering the core or whole-genome sequence, as neither the sialidase nor vaginolysin genes are sufficient for distinguishing between species/groups despite their clinical importance. In contrast to the vaginal microbiota, we found that only five Gardnerella species/groups have been detected within the lower urinary tract. Although we found no association between a particular Gardnerella species/group(s) and urinary symptoms, further sequencing of urinary Gardnerella isolates is needed for both comprehensive taxonomic characterization and etiological classification of Gardnerella in the urinary tract.IMPORTANCE Prior research into the bacterium Gardnerella vaginalis has largely focused on its association with bacterial vaginosis (BV). However, G. vaginalis is also frequently found within the urinary microbiota of women with and without lower urinary tract symptoms as well as individuals with chronic kidney disease, interstitial cystitis, and BV. This prompted our investigation into Gardnerella from the urinary microbiota and all publicly available Gardnerella genomes from the urogenital tract. Our work suggests that while some Gardnerella species can survive in both the urinary tract and vagina, others likely cannot. This study provides the foundation for future studies of Gardnerella within the urinary tract and its possible contribution to lower urinary tract symptoms.
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Shardell M, Gravitt PE, Burke AE, Ravel J, Brotman RM. Association of Vaginal Microbiota with Signs and Symptoms of the Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause across Reproductive Stages. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2021; 76:1542-1550. [PMID: 33903897 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glab120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) describes signs and symptoms resulting from effects of estrogen deficiency on the female genitourinary tract, including the vagina, labia, urethra, and bladder. Signs/symptoms associated with GSM may occur during any reproductive stage from multiple etiologies but are most common during menopause due to low estrogen. Vaginal microbiota, particularly Lactobacillus spp., are beneficial to the female genital tract; however, their abundance declines during menopause. We aimed to longitudinally assess vaginal microbiota characterized by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and GSM-associated endpoints across reproductive stages. In a two-year cohort study of 750 women aged 35-60 years at enrollment and 2,111 semiannual person-visits, low-Lactobacillus vaginal microbiota communities were observed at 21.2% (169/798), 22.9% (137/597), and 49.7% (356/716) of person-visits among pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal women, respectively (p<.001). Compared to communities that have high Gardnerella vaginalis relative abundance and diverse anaerobes, the following communities were associated with a lower covariate-adjusted odds of vaginal atrophy: L. crispatus-dominated communities among postmenopausal women (odds ratio[OR]=0.25; 95% confidence interval[CI], 0.08, 0.81), L. gasseri/L. jensenii (OR=0.21; 95%CI, 0.05, 0.94) and L. iners (OR=0.21; 95%CI, 0.05, 0.85) among perimenopausal women, and L. iners-dominated communities (OR=0.18; 95%CI, 0.04, 0.76) among premenopausal women. Postmenopausal women with L. gasseri/L. jensenii-dominated communities had the lowest odds of vaginal dryness (OR=0.36; 95%CI, 0.12, 1.06) and low libido (OR=0.28; 95%CI, 0.10, 0.74). Findings for urinary incontinence were inconsistent. Associations of vaginal microbiota with GSM signs/symptoms are most evident after menopause, suggesting an avenue for treatment and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Shardell
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Patti E Gravitt
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Anne E Burke
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland.,Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jacques Ravel
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Rebecca M Brotman
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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Ammitzbøll N, Bau BPJ, Bundgaard-Nielsen C, Villadsen AB, Jensen AM, Leutscher PDC, Glavind K, Hagstrøm S, Arenholt LTS, Sørensen S. Pre- and postmenopausal women have different core urinary microbiota. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2212. [PMID: 33500504 PMCID: PMC7838182 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81790-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that alterations in the female urinary microbiota is associated to development of bladder disease. However, the normal microbiota composition and variation in healthy women are poorly described. Moreover, the effects of hormonal changes on microbiota during menopause is not well understood. The aim of our study was to investigate the urinary microbiota in healthy pre- and postmenopausal women without urinary tract symptoms. Microbiota composition in catheterized urine samples was mapped using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In total, 41 premenopausal and 42 postmenopausal women were initially included. Samples with first PCR amplification concentration below level of the negative control were excluded, resulting in 34 premenopausal and 20 postmenopausal women included in data analysis. Urine from postmenopausal women showed significantly higher alpha diversity compared to premenopausal women. Lactobacillus was the most abundant bacteria in both groups, however the relative abundance of Lactobacillus accounted for 77.8% in premenopausal versus 42.0% in postmenopausal women. In conclusion, urine from premenopausal mostly presented with Lactobacillus dominated urotypes, whereas urine from postmenopausal women presented a more diverse urinary microbiota with higher abundance of the genera Gardnerella and Prevotella. The clinical and pathophysiological implications of this difference remain to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Ammitzbøll
- Centre for Clinical Research, North Denmark Regional Hospital, Bispensgade 37, 9800 Hjørring, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | | | - Caspar Bundgaard-Nielsen
- Centre for Clinical Research, North Denmark Regional Hospital, Bispensgade 37, 9800 Hjørring, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Annemarie Brusen Villadsen
- Centre for Clinical Research, North Denmark Regional Hospital, Bispensgade 37, 9800 Hjørring, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Ann-Maria Jensen
- Centre for Clinical Research, North Denmark Regional Hospital, Bispensgade 37, 9800 Hjørring, Denmark
| | - Peter Derek Christian Leutscher
- Centre for Clinical Research, North Denmark Regional Hospital, Bispensgade 37, 9800 Hjørring, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Karin Glavind
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Søren Hagstrøm
- Centre for Clinical Research, North Denmark Regional Hospital, Bispensgade 37, 9800 Hjørring, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.,Department of Pediatrics, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Louise Thomsen Schmidt Arenholt
- Centre for Clinical Research, North Denmark Regional Hospital, Bispensgade 37, 9800 Hjørring, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, North Denmark Regional Hospital, Hjørring, Denmark
| | - Suzette Sørensen
- Centre for Clinical Research, North Denmark Regional Hospital, Bispensgade 37, 9800 Hjørring, Denmark. .,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
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Abstract
With the advent of novel high throughput-sequencing technologies we gained greater insights into the complex and diverse interactions of the microbiome for health and disease in the human body. The concept of urinary sterility has long been dismissed and now we strive for deciphering various microbial signatures associated with a disease. A dysbalance of the microbiome appears to have a substantial impact on the pathogenesis of both malignant and benign conditions. Novel preventive and therapeutic approaches and biomarker systems have been proposed for prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma and bladder cancer based on microbiome analyses. The exclusion of a microbial origin was always part of the diagnosis of benign disorders such as interstitial cystitis, urinary urge incontinence or chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Now we are certain that an imbalanced microbial profile plays an essential role for the pathogenesis and disease management of these challenging conditions.
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