Enrichment of semen culture in the diagnosis of bacterial prostatitis

Molecular Epidemiology of Genital Infections in Campania Region: A Retrospective Study

This study provides updated information on the prevalence and co-infections caused by genital microorganisms and pathogens: Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma parvum, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Gardnerella vaginalis, by retrospectively analyzing a cohort of patients living in the Naples metropolitan area, Campania region, Southern Italy. To investigate the genital infections prevalence in clinical specimens (vaginal/endocervical swabs and urines) collected from infertile asymptomatic women and men from November 2018 to December 2020, we used a multiplex real-time PCR assay. Of the 717 specimens collected, 302 (42.1%) resulted positive for at least one of the targets named above. Statistically significant differences in genital prevalence of selected microorganisms were detected in both women (62.91%) and men (37.08%). G. vaginalis and U. parvum represented the most common findings with an 80.2% and 16.9% prevalence in vaginal/endocervical swabs and first-voided urines, respectively. Prevalence of multiple infections was 18.18% and 8.19% in women and men, respectively. The most frequent association detected was the co-infection of G. vaginalis and U. parvum with 60% prevalence. Our epidemiological analysis suggests different infection patterns between genders, highlighting the need to implement a preventative screening strategy of genital infections to reduce the complications on reproductive organs.

Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 as adjuvant therapy in patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis: a non-blinded, randomized, controlled trial

PURPOSE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) in association with levofloxacin in patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP).

METHODS

Patients with CBP referred to our clinic from September 2017 to July 2019 were enrolled. At baseline, the symptomatology was assessed with the NIH-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI), while the Meares-Stamey test was used to diagnose the infection. Patients were randomized (1:1) in two groups (A and B). All subjects underwent oral administration of Levoxacin® 500 mg once daily for 4 weeks. Only the patients in Group B underwent oral administration of EcN® 320 mg, twice daily for 4 weeks and then once daily for 8 weeks. After 3 months, each patient repeated the NIH-CPSI questionnaire, while the Meares-Stamey test was repeated at 3 and 6 months in patients who reported persistent symptoms. All adverse events (AEs) were recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 110 patients were enrolled. After 3 months patients in Group B reported a significantly lower NIH-CPSI score (5.85 ± 3.07 vs. 7.64 ± 3.86; p = 0.009) and biological recurrences rate (9.8 vs. 26.9%; p = 0.043). At 6 months the biological recurrences rate was significantly lower in Group B (8.7 vs. 28.9%; p = 0.038). Only three patients in Group A and six in Group B (p = 0.25) complained mild AEs.

CONCLUSIONS

Combination therapy with EcN and levofloxacin allows a better control of symptoms and biological recurrences in patients with CBP, without worsening the safety of the treatment.

Effect of indoor environmental exposure on seminal microbiota and its application in body fluid identification

Semen is a common body fluid type in forensic sexual assault cases. It is of great significance to effectively identify semen for restoring the crime scene and determining the nature of the case. Nowadays, microbiome-based method shows as a promising tool for forensic body fluid identification. To explore the environmental impact on microbial community of semen and its traceability, 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing was conducted to ten paired semen samples. Affected by exposure, the diversity of microbial community decreased generally as the genus Staphylococcus exhibited a relatively significant increase. However, the genus Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Corynebacterium_1 were observed in almost all 20 samples. Community barplot analysis and heatmap analysis showed composition of the predominant microbe in semen at the phyla and genus level maintained basically, so that it could distinguish from vaginal fluid and saliva regardless of environmental exposure. Based on these results, we believe the application of single microbial marker may limit in semen identification, but the method depending on microbial community might be useful for distinguishing semen even under indoor exposure.

The seminal microbiome in health and disease

Owing to the fact that there are more microbial than human cells in our body and that humans contain more microbial than human genes, the microbiome has huge potential to influence human physiology, both in health and in disease. The use of next-generation sequencing technologies has helped to elucidate functional, quantitative and mechanistic aspects of the complex microorganism-host interactions that underlie human physiology and pathophysiology. The microbiome of semen is a field of increasing scientific interest, although this microbial niche is currently understudied compared with other areas of microbiome research. However, emerging evidence is beginning to indicate that the seminal microbiome has important implications for the reproductive health of men, the health of the couple and even the health of offspring, owing to transfer of microorganisms to the partner and offspring. As this field expands, further carefully designed and well-powered studies are required to unravel the true nature and role of the seminal microbiome.