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Virk MS, Virk MA, He Y, Tufail T, Gul M, Qayum A, Rehman A, Rashid A, Ekumah JN, Han X, Wang J, Ren X. The Anti-Inflammatory and Curative Exponent of Probiotics: A Comprehensive and Authentic Ingredient for the Sustained Functioning of Major Human Organs. Nutrients 2024; 16:546. [PMID: 38398870 PMCID: PMC10893534 DOI: 10.3390/nu16040546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Several billion microorganisms reside in the gastrointestinal lumen, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and yeast. Among them, probiotics were primarily used to cure digestive disorders such as intestinal infections and diarrhea; however, with a paradigm shift towards alleviating health through food, their importance is large. Moreover, recent studies have changed the perspective that probiotics prevent numerous ailments in the major organs. Probiotics primarily produce biologically active compounds targeting discommodious pathogens. This review demonstrates the implications of using probiotics from different genres to prevent and alleviate ailments in the primary human organs. The findings reveal that probiotics immediately activate anti-inflammatory mechanisms by producing anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, IL-11, and IL-13, and hindering pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α by involving regulatory T cells (Tregs) and T helper cells (Th cells). Several strains of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus reuteri, Bifidobacterium longum, and Bifidobacterium breve have been listed among the probiotics that are excellent in alleviating various simple to complex ailments. Therefore, the importance of probiotics necessitates robust research to unveil the implications of probiotics, including the potency of strains, the optimal dosages, the combination of probiotics, their habitat in the host, the host response, and other pertinent factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Safiullah Virk
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.S.V.)
| | | | - Yufeng He
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.S.V.)
| | - Tabussam Tufail
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.S.V.)
- University Institute of Diet and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Mehak Gul
- Department of Internal Medicine, Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Qayum
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.S.V.)
| | - Abdur Rehman
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.S.V.)
| | - Arif Rashid
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.S.V.)
| | - John-Nelson Ekumah
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.S.V.)
| | - Xu Han
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.S.V.)
| | - Junxia Wang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.S.V.)
| | - Xiaofeng Ren
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; (M.S.V.)
- Institute of Food Physical Processing, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
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2
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Gupta PM, Balle C, Tharp GK, Nelson SA, Gasper MA, Brown B, Alisoltani A, Onono M, Palanee-Phillips T, Nair G, Ayele H, Noel-Romas L, Passmore JAS, Burgener AD, Heffron R, Jaspan HB, Bosinger SE. Systems analysis reveals differential expression of endocervical genes in African women randomized to DMPA-IM, LNG implant or cu-IUD. Clin Immunol 2023; 255:109750. [PMID: 37660744 PMCID: PMC10570927 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2023.109750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Although effective contraceptives are crucial for preventing unintended pregnancies, evidence suggests that their use may perturb the female genital tract (FGT). A comparative analysis of the effects of the most common contraceptives on the FGT have not been evaluated in a randomized clinical trial setting. Here, we evaluated the effect of three long-acting contraceptive methods: depot medroxyprogesterone acetate(DMPA-IM), levonorgestrel(LNG) implant, and a copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD), on the endocervical host transcriptome in 188 women from the Evidence for Contraceptive Options and HIV Outcomes Trial (ECHO) trial. Cu-IUD usage showed the most extensive transcriptomic changes, and was associated with inflammatory and anti-viral host responses. DMPA-IM usage was enriched for pathways associated with T cell responses. LNG implant had the mildest effect on endocervical gene expression, and was associated with growth factor signaling. These data provide a mechanistic basis for the diverse influence that varying contraceptives have on the FGT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prachi Mehrotra Gupta
- Emory National Primate Research Center (ENPRC) Genomics Core Laboratory, Division of Microbiology & Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Christina Balle
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Gregory K Tharp
- Emory National Primate Research Center (ENPRC) Genomics Core Laboratory, Division of Microbiology & Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sydney A Nelson
- Emory National Primate Research Center (ENPRC) Genomics Core Laboratory, Division of Microbiology & Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Bryan Brown
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Arghavan Alisoltani
- Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Thesla Palanee-Phillips
- Wits RHI, University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Hosseana Ayele
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Laura Noel-Romas
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Jo-Ann S Passmore
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa; National Health Laboratory Service, Cape Town, South Africa; CAPRISA DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in HIV Prevention, University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Adam D Burgener
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Renee Heffron
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Heather B Jaspan
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Steven E Bosinger
- Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, GA, USA; Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, GA, USA.
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Armstrong E, Kaul R, Cohen CR. Optimizing the vaginal microbiome as a potential strategy to reduce heterosexual HIV transmission. J Intern Med 2023; 293:433-444. [PMID: 36544257 DOI: 10.1111/joim.13600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a proinflammatory genital condition characterized by high vaginal bacterial diversity and a paucity of Lactobacillus species. BV has been linked to an elevated risk of HIV acquisition among HIV-negative women and of forward HIV transmission to male sex partners among women living with HIV (adjusted hazard ratios of 1.69 and 3.17, respectively), potentially by eliciting genital inflammation in women with BV and their male sex partners. BV is also highly prevalent among women in sub-Saharan Africa, suggesting that BV treatment may have potential as an HIV prevention strategy. BV is typically treated with antibiotics but recurrence rates are high, possibly because treatment does not directly promote Lactobacillus growth. More recently, BV treatment strategies incorporating live biotherapeutic lactobacilli have led to sustained optimization of the vaginal microbiome and a decrease in inflammatory biomarkers previously associated with HIV susceptibility. Future studies are urgently needed to evaluate BV treatment strategies that can optimize the vaginal microbiome in the long term through colonization with H2 O2 -producing vaginal lactobacilli and to assess whether vaginal microbiota optimization is able to reduce the risk of HIV transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Armstrong
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Rupert Kaul
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Craig R Cohen
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
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Caputo V, Libera M, Sisti S, Giuliani B, Diotti RA, Criscuolo E. The initial interplay between HIV and mucosal innate immunity. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1104423. [PMID: 36798134 PMCID: PMC9927018 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1104423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is still one of the major global health issues, and despite significant efforts that have been put into studying the pathogenesis of HIV infection, several aspects need to be clarified, including how innate immunity acts in different anatomical compartments. Given the nature of HIV as a sexually transmitted disease, one of the aspects that demands particular attention is the mucosal innate immune response. Given this scenario, we focused our attention on the interplay between HIV and mucosal innate response: the different mucosae act as a physical barrier, whose integrity can be compromised by the infection, and the virus-cell interaction induces the innate immune response. In addition, we explored the role of the mucosal microbiota in facilitating or preventing HIV infection and highlighted how its changes could influence the development of several opportunistic infections. Although recent progress, a proper characterization of mucosal innate immune response and microbiota is still missing, and further studies are needed to understand how they can be helpful for the formulation of an effective vaccine.
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Geldenhuys J, Redelinghuys MJ, Lombaard HA, Ehlers MM, Cowan D, Kock MM. Diversity of the gut, vaginal and oral microbiome among pregnant women in South Africa with and without pre-eclampsia. Front Glob Womens Health 2022; 3:810673. [PMID: 36188424 PMCID: PMC9525020 DOI: 10.3389/fgwh.2022.810673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Changes in microbial communities are a known characteristic of various inflammatory diseases and have been linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth. However, there is a paucity of information regarding the taxonomic composition and/or diversity of microbial communities in pre-eclampsia. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity of the gut, vaginal and oral microbiome in a cohort of South African pregnant women with and without pre-eclampsia. The diversity of the gut, vaginal and oral microbiome was determined by targeted next generation sequencing (NGS) of the V3 and V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene on the Illumina MiSeq platform. Results In this study population, pre-eclampsia was associated with a significantly higher alpha diversity (P = 0.0472; indicated by the Shannon index) in the vaginal microbiome accompanied with a significant reduction in Lactobacillus spp. (P = 0.0275), compared to normotensive pregnant women. Lactobacillus iners was identified as the predominant species of the vaginal microbiome in both cohorts. High inter-individual variation in alpha diversity was observed in the gut and oral microbiome in both cohorts. Although differences in the relative abundance of bacteria at all phylogenetic levels were observed, overall microbial composition of the gut, oral and vaginal microbiome was not significantly different in the pre-eclampsia cohort compared to the normotensive cohort. Conclusion Collectively, a reduction of Lactobacillus spp., and predominance of L. iners in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia could suggest an unstable vaginal microbiome that might predispose pregnant women to develop pre-eclampsia. The lack of significant structural changes in the gut, oral and vaginal microbiome does not suggest that the characterized communities play a role in pre-eclampsia, but could indicate a characteristic unique to the study population. The current study provided novel information on the diversity of the gut, oral and vaginal microbiome among pregnant women in South Africa with and without pre-eclampsia. The current study provides a baseline for further investigations on the potential role of microbial communities in pre-eclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janri Geldenhuys
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Mathys J. Redelinghuys
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Hendrik A. Lombaard
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, Wits Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinical Research Division, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Marthie M. Ehlers
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tshwane Academic Division, National Health Laboratory Service, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Don Cowan
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Marleen M. Kock
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tshwane Academic Division, National Health Laboratory Service, Pretoria, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Marleen M. Kock
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Werneburg GT, Lundy SD, Bajic P. The Microbiome and Sexual Health. J Sex Med 2022; 19:1600-1603. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2022.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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7
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Ferreira CST, Marconi C, Parada CMGL, Ravel J, da Silva MG. Sialidase Activity in the Cervicovaginal Fluid Is Associated With Changes in Bacterial Components of Lactobacillus-Deprived Microbiota. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 11:813520. [PMID: 35096658 PMCID: PMC8793624 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.813520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sialidase activity in the cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) is associated with microscopic findings of bacterial vaginosis (BV). Sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene in vaginal samples has revealed that the majority of microscopic BV cases fit into vaginal community-state type IV (CST IV), which was recently named "molecular-BV." Bacterial vaginosis-associated bacterial species, such as Gardnerella spp., may act as sources of CVF sialidases. These hydrolases lead to impairment of local immunity and enable bacterial adhesion to epithelial and biofilm formation. However, the impact of CVL sialidase on microbiota components and diversity remains unknown. OBJECTIVE To assess if CVF sialidase activity is associated with changes in bacterial components of CST IV. METHODS One hundred forty women were cross-sectionally enrolled. The presence of molecular-BV (CST IV) was assessed by V3-V4 16S rRNA sequencing (Illumina). Fluorometric assays were performed using 2-(4-methylumbelliferyl)-α-D-N-acetylneuraminic acid (MUAN) for measuring sialidase activity in CVF samples. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) was performed to identify the differently enriched bacterial taxa in molecular-BV according to the status of CVF sialidase activity. RESULTS Forty-four participants (31.4%) had molecular-BV, of which 30 (68.2%) had sialidase activity at detectable levels. A total of 24 bacterial taxa were enriched in the presence of sialidase activity, while just two taxa were enriched in sialidase-negative samples. CONCLUSION Sialidase activity in molecular-BV is associated with changes in bacterial components of the local microbiome. This association should be further investigated, since it may result in diminished local defenses against pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Camila Marconi
- Department of Pathology, Botucatu Medical School, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil.,Department of Basic Pathology, Sector of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Cristina M G L Parada
- Department of Nursing, Botucatu Medical School, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Jacques Ravel
- Institute of Genomic Science, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Marcia Guimaraes da Silva
- Department of Pathology, Botucatu Medical School, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
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Balle C, Gupta PM, Tharp GK, Nelson SA, Konstantinus IN, Lennard K, Jaumdally SZ, Happel AU, Barnabas SL, Gill K, Bekker LG, Passmore JAS, Jaspan HB, Bosinger SE. Systems Analysis Reveals Contraceptive-Induced Alteration of Cervicovaginal Gene Expression in a Randomized Trial. FRONTIERS IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2022; 4:781687. [PMID: 36303659 PMCID: PMC9580795 DOI: 10.3389/frph.2022.781687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hormonal contraceptives (HCs) are vital in managing the reproductive health of women. However, HC usage has been linked to perturbations in cervicovaginal immunity and increased risk of sexually transmitted infections. Here, we evaluated the impact of three HCs on the cervicovaginal environment using high-throughput transcriptomics. From 2015 to 2017, 130 adolescent females aged 15-19 years were enrolled into a substudy of UChoose, a single-site, open-label randomized, crossover trial (NCT02404038) and randomized to injectable norethisterone-enanthate (Net-En), combined oral contraceptives (COC), or etonorgesterol/ethinyl-estradiol-combined contraceptive vaginal ring (CCVR). Cervicovaginal samples were collected after 16 weeks of randomized HC use and analyzed by RNA-Seq, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and Luminex analysis. Participants in the CCVR arm had a significant elevation of transcriptional networks driven by IL-6, IL-1, and NFKB, and lower expression of genes supporting epithelial barrier integrity. An integrated multivariate analysis demonstrated that networks of microbial dysbiosis and inflammation best discriminated the CCVR arm from the other contraceptive groups, while genes involved in epithelial cell differentiation were predictive of the Net-En and COC arms. Collectively, these data from a randomized trial represent the most comprehensive "omics" analyses of the cervicovaginal response to HCs and provide important mechanistic guidelines for the provision of HCs in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Balle
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Prachi M. Gupta
- Yerkes Genomics Core Laboratory, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Gregory K. Tharp
- Yerkes Genomics Core Laboratory, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Sydney A. Nelson
- Yerkes Genomics Core Laboratory, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Iyaloo N. Konstantinus
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa,Namibia Institute of Pathology, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Katie Lennard
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Shameem Z. Jaumdally
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Anna-Ursula Happel
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Shaun L. Barnabas
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa,Desmond Tutu Health Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa,Family Clinical Research Center, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - Katherine Gill
- Desmond Tutu Health Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Linda-Gail Bekker
- Desmond Tutu Health Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jo-Ann S. Passmore
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa,National Health Laboratory Service, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Heather B. Jaspan
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa,Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States,Department of Pediatrics and Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Steven E. Bosinger
- Yerkes Genomics Core Laboratory, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States,Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States,*Correspondence: Steven E. Bosinger
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Lopera TJ, Lujan JA, Zurek E, Zapata W, Hernandez JC, Toro MA, Alzate JF, Taborda NA, Rugeles MT, Aguilar-Jimenez W. A specific structure and high richness characterize intestinal microbiota of HIV-exposed seronegative individuals. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0260729. [PMID: 34855852 PMCID: PMC8638974 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Intestinal microbiota facilitates food breakdown for energy metabolism and influences the immune response, maintaining mucosal homeostasis. Overall, HIV infection is associated with intestinal dysbiosis and immune activation, which has been related to seroconversion in HIV-exposed individuals. However, it is unclear whether microbiota dysbiosis is the cause or the effect of immune alterations and disease progression or if it could modulate the risk of acquiring the HIV infection. We characterize the intestinal microbiota and determine its association with immune regulation in HIV-exposed seronegative individuals (HESN), HIV-infected progressors (HIV+), and healthy control (HC) subjects. For this, feces and blood were collected. The microbiota composition of HESN showed a significantly higher alpha (p = 0.040) and beta diversity (p = 0.006) compared to HC, but no differences were found compared to HIV+. A lower Treg percentage was observed in HESN (1.77%) than HC (2.98%) and HIV+ (4.02%), with enrichment of the genus Butyrivibrio (p = 0.029) being characteristic of this profile. Moreover, we found that Megasphaera (p = 0.017) and Victivallis (p = 0.0029) also are enriched in the microbiota composition in HESN compared to HC and HIV+ subjects. Interestingly, an increase in Succinivibrio and Prevotella, and a reduction in Bacteroides genus, which is typical of HIV-infected individuals, were observed in both HESN and HIV+, compared to HC. Thus, HESNs have a microbiota profile, similar to that observed in HIV+, most likely because HESN are cohabiting with their HIV+ partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tulio J. Lopera
- Facultad de Medicina, Grupo Inmunovirología, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Jorge A. Lujan
- Facultad de Medicina, Grupo Inmunovirología, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Eduardo Zurek
- Department of System Engineering, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Wildeman Zapata
- Facultad de Medicina, Grupo Inmunovirología, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Medellín, Colombia
- Facultad de Medicina, Grupo Infettare, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Juan C. Hernandez
- Facultad de Medicina, Grupo Infettare, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Miguel A. Toro
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro Nacional de Secuenciación Genómica -CNSG, Sede de Investigación Universitaria -SIU, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Medellin, Colombia
- Facultad de Medicina, Grupo de Parasitología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Juan F. Alzate
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro Nacional de Secuenciación Genómica -CNSG, Sede de Investigación Universitaria -SIU, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Medellin, Colombia
| | - Natalia A. Taborda
- Facultad de Medicina, Grupo Inmunovirología, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Medellín, Colombia
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas Uniremington, Programa de Medicina, Corporación Universitaria Remington, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Maria T. Rugeles
- Facultad de Medicina, Grupo Inmunovirología, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Wbeimar Aguilar-Jimenez
- Facultad de Medicina, Grupo Inmunovirología, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Medellín, Colombia
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Jewanraj J, Ngcapu S, Liebenberg LJP. Semen: A modulator of female genital tract inflammation and a vector for HIV-1 transmission. Am J Reprod Immunol 2021; 86:e13478. [PMID: 34077596 PMCID: PMC9286343 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to establish productive infection in women, HIV must transverse the vaginal epithelium and gain access to local target cells. Genital inflammation contributes to the availability of HIV susceptible cells at the female genital mucosa and is associated with higher HIV transmission rates in women. Factors that contribute to genital inflammation may subsequently increase the risk of HIV infection in women. Semen is a highly immunomodulatory fluid containing several bioactive molecules with the potential to influence inflammation and immune activation at the female genital tract. In addition to its role as a vector for HIV transmission, semen induces profound mucosal changes to prime the female reproductive tract for conception. Still, most studies of mucosal immunity are conducted in the absence of semen or without considering its immune impact on the female genital tract. This review discusses the various mechanisms by which semen exposure may influence female genital inflammation and highlights the importance of routine screening for semen biomarkers in vaginal specimens to account for its impact on genital inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Jewanraj
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA)DurbanSouth Africa
- Department of Medical MicrobiologyUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalDurbanSouth Africa
| | - Sinaye Ngcapu
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA)DurbanSouth Africa
- Department of Medical MicrobiologyUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalDurbanSouth Africa
| | - Lenine J. P. Liebenberg
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA)DurbanSouth Africa
- Department of Medical MicrobiologyUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalDurbanSouth Africa
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Salliss ME, Maarsingh JD, Garza C, Łaniewski P, Herbst-Kralovetz MM. Veillonellaceae family members uniquely alter the cervical metabolic microenvironment in a human three-dimensional epithelial model. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2021; 7:57. [PMID: 34230496 PMCID: PMC8260719 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-021-00229-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a gynecologic disorder characterized by a shift in cervicovaginal microbiota from Lactobacillus spp. dominance to a polymicrobial biofilm composed of diverse anaerobes. We utilized a well-characterized human three-dimensional cervical epithelial cell model in conjunction with untargeted metabolomics and immunoproteomics analyses to determine the immunometabolic contribution of three members of the Veillonellaceae family: Veillonella atypica, Veillonella montpellierensis and Megasphaera micronuciformis at this site. We found that Veillonella spp. infections induced significant elevation of polyamines. M. micronuciformis infections significantly increased soluble inflammatory mediators, induced moderate levels of cell cytotoxicity, and accumulation of cell membrane lipids relative to Veillonella spp. Notably, both V. atypica and V. montpellierensis infections resulted in consumption of lactate, a key metabolite linked to gynecologic and reproductive health. Collectively our approach and data provide unique insights into the specific contributions of Veillonellaceae members to the pathogenesis of BV and women's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E Salliss
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine-Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Jason D Maarsingh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine-Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Camryn Garza
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine-Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Paweł Łaniewski
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine-Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Melissa M Herbst-Kralovetz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine-Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine-Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
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12
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Abbasi A, Aghebati-Maleki L, Homayouni-Rad A. The promising biological role of postbiotics derived from probiotic Lactobacillus species in reproductive health. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2021; 62:8829-8841. [PMID: 34152234 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2021.1935701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Recent investigations have meaningfully developed our knowledge of the features of the reproductive microbiome/metabolome profile and their relations with host responses to offer an optimal milieu for the development of the embryo during the peri-implantation period and throughout pregnancy. In this context, the establishment of homeostatic circumstances in the Female Reproductive Tract (FRT), in various physiological periods, is a significant challenge, which appears the application of postbiotics can facilitate the achievement of this goal. So, currently, scientific literature confirms that postbiotics due to their antimicrobial, antiviral, and immunomodulatory properties can be considered as a novel biotherapeutic approach. Future investigation in this field will shed more translational mechanistic understanding of the interaction of the postbiotics derived from vaginal Lactobacilli with females' health and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Abbasi
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Nutrition & Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Aziz Homayouni-Rad
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Nutrition & Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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13
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Characterization of the Vaginal Microbiome in Women of Reproductive Age From 5 Regions in Brazil. Sex Transm Dis 2021; 47:562-569. [PMID: 32520883 DOI: 10.1097/olq.0000000000001204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Composition of the vaginal microbiome is strongly related to a woman's reproductive health and risk of sexually transmitted infections. Ethnoracial, behavioral, and environmental factors can influence microbiome. The Brazilian population is unique in terms of miscegenation of ethnic groups and behavioral characteristics across different regions. We aimed to characterize the vaginal microbiome of women from 5 geographical regions of Brazil. METHODS We sequenced V3-V4 regions of 16S rRNA gene in vaginal samples of 609 reproductive-aged women. We performed logistic regression analyses to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between sociodemographic and behavioral factors with Lactobacillus-depleted microbiome (community state type [CST] IV). RESULTS Vaginal samples were grouped into 5 CST: CST I (L. crispatus predominant, 30.5%), CST II (L. gasseri predominant, 4.4%), CST III (Lactobacillus iners predominant, 36.5%), CST IV (Lactobacillus-depleted, 27.4%), and CST V (L. jensenii predominant, 1.2%). Several factors were independently associated with CST IV, such as smoking (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.02-3.18), number of partners (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.20-3.70), and vaginal douching (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.34-3.74). A protective effect was observed for milk/dairy intake (OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.27-0.82) and sitz bathing (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.19-0.98). CONCLUSIONS Nearly two thirds of Brazilian women may be at an increased risk for adverse outcomes associated with a vaginal microbiota characterized by the depletion of Lactobacillus or dominance by L. iners, whose protective role has been widely questioned. Several factors related to sexual behavior and intimate hygiene were associated with CST IV.
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14
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Microbiome diversity predicts surgical success in patients with rectovaginal fistula. Int Urogynecol J 2020; 32:2491-2501. [PMID: 33175227 DOI: 10.1007/s00192-020-04580-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS Growing literature details the critical importance of the microbiome in the modulation of human health and disease including both the gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems. Rectovaginal fistulae (RVF) are notoriously difficult to manage, many requiring multiple attempts at repair before correction is achieved. RVF involves two distinct microbiome communities whose characteristics and potential interplay have not been previously characterized and may influence surgical success. METHODS In this pilot study, rectal and vaginal samples were collected from 14 patients with RVF. Samples were collected preoperatively, immediately following surgery, 6-8 weeks postoperatively and at the time of any fistula recurrence. Amplification of the 16S rDNA V3-V5 gene region was done to identify microbiota. Data were summarized using both α-diversity to describe species richness and evenness and β-diversity to characterize the shared variation between communities. Differential abundance analysis was performed to identify microbial taxa associated with recurrence. RESULTS The rectal and vaginal microbiome in patients undergoing successful fistula repair was different than in those with recurrence (β-diversity, p = 0.005 and 0.018, respectively) and was characterized by higher species diversity (α-diversity, p = 0.07 and p = 0.006, respectively). Thirty-one taxa were enriched in patients undergoing successful repair to include Bacteroidetes, Alistipes and Rikenellaceae as well as Firmicutes, Subdoligranulum, Ruminococcaceae UCG-010 and NK4A214 group. CONCLUSIONS Microbiome characteristics associated with fistula recurrence have been identified. The association of higher vaginal diversity with a favorable outcome has not been previously described. Expansion of this pilot project is needed to confirm findings. Taxa associated with successful repair could be targeted for subsequent therapeutic intervention.
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15
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Dareng EO, Ma B, Adebamowo SN, Famooto A, Ravel J, Pharoah PP, Adebamowo CA. Vaginal microbiota diversity and paucity of Lactobacillus species are associated with persistent hrHPV infection in HIV negative but not in HIV positive women. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19095. [PMID: 33154533 PMCID: PMC7644686 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76003-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The vaginal microbiota is thought to play a role in modulating risk of high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection. We examined the relationship between the vaginal microbiota and persistent hrHPV infection in HIV-negative and HIV-positive women. We used 16S-rRNA sequencing to characterize the vaginal microbiota of two serial samples taken six months apart from 211 Nigerian women (67%, 142/211 HIV-positive and 33%, 69/211 HIV-negative) and evaluated the association between the vaginal microbiota and persistent hrHPV infection using generalized estimating equation logistic regression models and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) algorithm to identify phylotypic biomarkers of persistent hrHPV infection. The high diversity microbiota, Community State Type IV-B, was the most prevalent in both HIV-negative (38% at baseline, 30% at the follow-up visit) and HIV-positive (27% at baseline, 35% at the follow-up visit) women. The relationship between the vaginal microbiota and persistent hrHPV was modified by HIV status. In HIV-negative women, women with Lactobacillus dominant microbiota had lower odds (OR: 0.35, 95% CI 0.14-0.89, p = 0.03) of persistent hrHPV compared to women with Lactobacillus deficient microbiota. While among HIV-positive women, the odds of being persistently infected with hrHPV was higher in women with Lactobacillus dominant microbiota (OR: 1.25, 95% CI 0.73-2.14 p = 0.41). This difference in effect estimates by HIV was statistically significant (p = 0.02). A high diversity vaginal microbial community with paucity of Lactobacillus species was associated with persistent hrHPV infection in HIV-negative women but not in HIV-positive women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen O Dareng
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Bing Ma
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sally N Adebamowo
- Department of Epidemiology, Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Center for Bioethics and Research Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | | - Jacques Ravel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Paul P Pharoah
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Clement A Adebamowo
- Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria. .,Department of Epidemiology, Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. .,Center for Bioethics and Research Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. .,Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 West Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
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16
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Redelinghuys MJ, Geldenhuys J, Jung H, Kock MM. Bacterial Vaginosis: Current Diagnostic Avenues and Future Opportunities. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:354. [PMID: 32850469 PMCID: PMC7431474 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A healthy female genital tract harbors a microbiome dominated by lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide producing bacteria, which provide protection against infections by maintaining a low pH. Changes in the bacterial compositions of the vaginal microbiome can lead to bacterial vaginosis (BV), which is often associated with vaginal inflammation. Bacterial vaginosis increases the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and affects women's reproductive health negatively. In pregnant women, BV can lead to chorioamnionitis and adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm premature rupture of the membranes and preterm birth. In order to manage BV effectively, good diagnostic procedures are required. Traditionally clinical and microscopic methods have been used to diagnose BV; however, these methods require skilled staff and time and suffer from reduced sensitivity and specificity. New diagnostics, including highly sensitive and specific point-of-care (POC) tests, treatment modalities and vaccines can be developed based on the identification of biomarkers from the growing pool of vaginal microbiome and vaginal metabolome data. In this review the current and future diagnostic avenues will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathys J. Redelinghuys
- School of Clinical Medicine, Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Janri Geldenhuys
- UP-Ampath Translational Genomics Initiative, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences and Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Division of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Hyunsul Jung
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Marleen M. Kock
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tshwane Academic Division, National Health Laboratory Service, Pretoria, South Africa
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17
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Zulaika G, Kwaro D, Nyothach E, Wang D, Zielinski-Gutierrez E, Mason L, Eleveld A, Chen T, Kerubo E, van Eijk A, Pace C, Obor D, Juma J, Oyaro B, Niessen L, Bigogo G, Ngere I, Henry C, Majiwa M, Onyango CO, Ter Kuile FO, Phillips-Howard PA. Menstrual cups and cash transfer to reduce sexual and reproductive harm and school dropout in adolescent schoolgirls: study protocol of a cluster-randomised controlled trial in western Kenya. BMC Public Health 2019; 19:1317. [PMID: 31638946 PMCID: PMC6805471 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-7594-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa are disproportionally vulnerable to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) harms. In western Kenya, where unprotected transactional sex is common, young females face higher rates of school dropout, often due to pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. Staying in school has shown to protect girls against early marriage, teen pregnancy, and HIV infection. This study evaluates the impact of menstrual cups and cash transfer interventions on a composite of deleterious outcomes (HIV, HSV-2, and school dropout) when given to secondary schoolgirls in western Kenya, with the aim to inform evidence-based policy to improve girls’ health, school equity, and life-chances. Methods Single site, 4-arm, cluster randomised controlled superiority trial. Secondary schools are the unit of randomisation, with schoolgirls as the unit of measurement. Schools will be randomised into one of four intervention arms using a 1:1:1:1 ratio and block randomisation: (1) menstrual cup arm; (2) cash transfer arm, (3) cups and cash combined intervention arm, or (4) control arm. National and county agreement, and school level consent will be obtained prior to recruitment of schools, with parent consent and girls’ assent obtained for participant enrolment. Participants will be trained on safe use of interventions, with all arms receiving puberty and hygiene education. Annually, the state of latrines, water availability, water treatment, handwashing units and soap in schools will be measured. The primary endpoint is a composite of incident HIV, HSV-2, and all-cause school dropout, after 3 years follow-up. School dropout will be monitored each term via school registers and confirmed through home visits. HIV and HSV-2 incident infections and risk factors will be measured at baseline, mid-line and end-line. Intention to treat analysis will be conducted among all enrolled participants. Focus group discussions will provide contextual information on uptake of interventions. Monitoring for safety will occur throughout. Discussion If proved safe and effective, the interventions offer a potential contribution toward girls’ schooling, health, and equity in low- and middle-income countries. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03051789, 15th February 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garazi Zulaika
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Daniel Kwaro
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Elizabeth Nyothach
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Duolao Wang
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Emily Zielinski-Gutierrez
- Center for Global Health, Division of Global Health HIV and TB, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Linda Mason
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Alie Eleveld
- Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Tao Chen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Emily Kerubo
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Annemieke van Eijk
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Cheryl Pace
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - David Obor
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Jane Juma
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Boaz Oyaro
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Louis Niessen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Godfrey Bigogo
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya
| | | | - Carl Henry
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Maxwell Majiwa
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya
| | | | - Feiko O Ter Kuile
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Penelope A Phillips-Howard
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK.
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18
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Liu CM, Packman ZR, Abraham AG, Serwadda DM, Nalugoda F, Aziz M, Prodger JL, Kaul R, Kalibbala S, Gray RH, Price LB, Quinn TC, Tobian AA, Reynolds SJ. The Effect of Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation on the Vaginal Microbiome in HIV-Infected Women. Open Forum Infect Dis 2019; 6:ofz328. [PMID: 31660406 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofz328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The impact of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation on the vaginal microbiome is unknown. This is of particular importance among women living in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding this relationship could help elucidate if and how the host immune system interacts with the vaginal microbiome. Methods The vaginal microbiome of HIV-1/HSV-2-coinfected women (n = 92) in Uganda was evaluated from self-collected vaginal swabs 1 month pre-ART and at 4 and 6 months post-ART initiation. The vaginal microbiome was characterized by 16S rRNA gene-based sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Vaginal community state types (CSTs) were identified using proportional abundance data. Changes in microbiome composition were assessed with permutational analyses of variance (PerMANOVA). Results Five vaginal CSTs were identified, which varied significantly by bacterial load (P < .01): CST-1 was characterized by Lactobacillus iners, CST-2 by Gardnerella, CST-3 by Gardnerella and Prevotella, CST-4 by Lactobacillus crispatus, and CST-5 was highly diverse. Vaginal microbiome composition also did not change significantly after ART initiation (P = .985). Immune reconstitution after ART initiation did not affect vaginal microbiome CST assignment (P = .722) or individual-level changes in bacterial load (log response ratio [interquartile range], -0.50 [-2.75 to 0.38] vs -0.29 [-2.03 to 1.42]; P = .40). Conclusions The vaginal microbiome of HIV-infected women was not affected by the initiation of ART or immune reconstitution in this observational study. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effects of ART treatment on the vaginal microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy M Liu
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Zoe R Packman
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Alison G Abraham
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.,Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | | | - Maliha Aziz
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Jessica L Prodger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rupert Kaul
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Ronald H Gray
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.,Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda
| | - Lance B Price
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Thomas C Quinn
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Aaron Ar Tobian
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda
| | - Steven J Reynolds
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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19
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Murphy K, Keller MJ, Anastos K, Sinclair S, Devlin JC, Shi Q, Hoover DR, Starkman B, McGillick J, Mullis C, Minkoff H, Dominguez-Bello MG, Herold BC. Impact of reproductive aging on the vaginal microbiome and soluble immune mediators in women living with and at-risk for HIV infection. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216049. [PMID: 31026271 PMCID: PMC6485713 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reproductive aging may impact the vaginal microbiome and genital tract mucosal immune environment and contribute to genital tract health in women living with and at-risk for HIV infection. METHODS A cross-sectional study of 102 HIV+ (51 premenopausal, 51 postmenopausal) and 39 HIV-uninfected (HIV-) (20 premenopausal, 19 postmenopausal) women was performed in Bronx and Brooklyn, NY. Cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) was collected for quantification of innate antimicrobial activity against E. coli, HSV-2 and HIV and immune mediators by Luminex and ELISA. Microbiome studies by qPCR and 16S rRNA sequencing were performed on vaginal swabs. RESULTS HIV+ postmenopausal compared to premenopausal participants had lower median E. coli bactericidal activity (41% vs. 62%, p = 0.001), lower median gene copies of Lactobacillus crispatus (p = 0.005) and Lactobacillus iners (p = 0.019), lower proportions of Lactobacillus iners, higher proportions of Gardnerella and Atopobium vaginae and lower levels of human beta defensins (HBD-2, HBD-3) and secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), p<0.001. HSV-2 inhibitory activity was higher in HIV+ postmenopausal compared to premenopausal participants (37% vs. 17%, p = 0.001) and correlated with the proinflammatory molecules interleukin (IL) 6, IL-8, human neutrophil peptide (HNP) 1-3, lactoferrin and fibronectin. Similar trends were observed in HIV- postmenopausal compared to premenopausal participants. HIV inhibitory activity did not differ by reproductive status in the HIV+ participants but was significantly higher in HIV- postmenopausal compared to premenopausal participants and in participants with suppressed plasma viral load, and inversely correlated with gene copies of G. vaginalis and BVAB2. A significant proportion of HIV+ participants on ART exhibited HIV enhancing activity. CONCLUSIONS HIV+ postmenopausal compared to premenopausal participants have less CVL E. coli bactericidal activity, reflecting a reduction in Lactobacilli and a greater proportion of Gardnerella and A. vaginae, and more HSV-2 inhibitory activity, reflecting increased mucosal inflammation. The effect of menopause on mucosal immunity was greater in HIV+ participants, suggesting a synergistic impact. Promotion of a lactobacillus dominant vaginal microbiome and reduced mucosal inflammation may improve vaginal health and reduce risk for shedding of HIV and potential for HIV transmission in HIV+ menopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerry Murphy
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Marla J. Keller
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Kathryn Anastos
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Shada Sinclair
- Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - J. Cooper Devlin
- Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Qiuhu Shi
- School of Health Sciences and Practice, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, United States of America
| | - Donald R. Hoover
- Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Brian Starkman
- State University of New York/Downstate Medical Center School of Medicine, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - Jamie McGillick
- Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Caroline Mullis
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Howard Minkoff
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maimonides Medical Center, and State University of New York/Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, and Department of Anthropology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Betsy C. Herold
- Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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20
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Sivro A, McKinnon LR. Mucosal HIV Shedding During ART. J Infect Dis 2019; 216:1484-1486. [PMID: 29240894 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jix551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aida Sivro
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Durban.,Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Lyle R McKinnon
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Durban.,Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.,Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, Kenya
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21
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Pino A, Bartolo E, Caggia C, Cianci A, Randazzo CL. Detection of vaginal lactobacilli as probiotic candidates. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3355. [PMID: 30833631 PMCID: PMC6399336 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40304-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The vaginal microbiota of healthy women is dominated by lactobacilli, which exerts important health-promoting effects to the host. In the present study, 261 lactobacilli isolated from vagina of healthy women were screened for their potential probiotic characteristics. Safety features (haemolytic activity, antibiotic susceptibility, bile salt hydrolase activity) and functional properties (resistance to low pH and bile salts, lysozyme tolerance, gastrointestinal survival, antagonistic activity against pathogens, hydrophobicity, auto-aggregation, and co-aggregation abilities, hydrogen peroxide production, biofilm formation, exopolysaccharide production, adhesion capacity to both normal human vagina epithelial cells and Caco-2 epithelial cells, and lactic acid production) were in depth evaluated. Seven strains, identified as Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactobacillus salivarius fulfilled the criteria described above. Therefore, the vaginal ecosystem represents a suitable source of probiotic candidates that could be used in new functional formulates for both gastrointestinal and vaginal eubiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Pino
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Emanuela Bartolo
- Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgical Specialties, Gynecological Clinic, University of Catania, Policlinico Universitario, Catania, Italy
| | - Cinzia Caggia
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Antonio Cianci
- Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgical Specialties, Gynecological Clinic, University of Catania, Policlinico Universitario, Catania, Italy
| | - Cinzia L Randazzo
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
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Oliver VO, Otieno G, Gvetadze R, Desai MA, Makanga M, Akelo V, Gust DA, Nyagol B, McLellan-Lemal E. High prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among women screened for a contraceptive intravaginal ring study, Kisumu, Kenya, 2014. Int J STD AIDS 2018; 29:1390-1399. [PMID: 30071799 DOI: 10.1177/0956462418782810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
We assessed prevalence and correlates of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), gonorrhoea (GC), syphilis (SYP), Chlamydia (CT) and HIV among Kenyan women aged 18–34 years who were screened for a contraceptive intravaginal ring study. Women provided demographic, behavioural and medical information, and underwent medical evaluation, including a pelvic exam. We computed crude and adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using log-binomial regression. Of 463 women screened, 457 provided laboratory specimens and were included in the analysis. The median age was 25 years, interquartile range (21–28), and 68.5% had completed primary or lower education. Overall, 72.2% tested positive for any STI or BV. Point prevalence was 55.6, 38.5, 3.9, 2.0, 4.6, and 14.7% for HSV-2, BV, GC, SYP, CT, and HIV, respectively. Co-infection with HSV-2, BV, and HIV occurred in 28 (6.1%) participants. Having ≥1 STI/BV was associated with younger age at first sex (≤13 versus 17–19 years, aPR=1.27, 95% CI 1.07–1.51), history of exchange sex (aPR = 2.05, 95% CI 1.07–3.92), sexual intercourse in the past seven days (aPR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.01–1.36), and older age (30–34 versus 18–24 years, aPR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.06–1.48). STI/BV diagnosis was less likely for women reporting one lifetime sexual partner compared to women with ≥4 lifetime sexual partners (aPR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.54–0.92). Combination prevention approaches (biomedical, behavioural, social, and structural) tailored to women with diverse risk profiles may help mitigate STI/BV prevalence in this setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent O Oliver
- HIV Research Branch, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - George Otieno
- HIV Research Branch, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Roman Gvetadze
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Infectious Diseases, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mitesh A Desai
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Infectious Diseases, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mumbi Makanga
- HIV Research Branch, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Victor Akelo
- HIV Research Branch, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Deborah A Gust
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Infectious Diseases, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Beatrice Nyagol
- HIV Research Branch, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Eleanor McLellan-Lemal
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Infectious Diseases, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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23
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Tyssen D, Wang YY, Hayward JA, Agius PA, DeLong K, Aldunate M, Ravel J, Moench TR, Cone RA, Tachedjian G. Anti-HIV-1 Activity of Lactic Acid in Human Cervicovaginal Fluid. mSphere 2018; 3:e00055-18. [PMID: 29976641 PMCID: PMC6034077 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00055-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Women of reproductive age with a Lactobacillus-dominated vaginal microbiota have a reduced risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV and a vaginal pH of ~4 due to the presence of ~1% (wt/vol) lactic acid. While lactic acid has potent HIV virucidal activity in vitro, whether lactic acid present in the vaginal lumen inactivates HIV has not been investigated. Here we evaluated the anti-HIV-1 activity of native, minimally diluted cervicovaginal fluid obtained from women of reproductive age (n = 20) with vaginal microbiota dominated by Lactobacillus spp. Inhibition of HIVBa-L was significantly associated with the protonated form of lactic acid in cervicovaginal fluid. The HIVBa-L inhibitory activity observed in the <3-kDa acidic filtrate was similar to that of the corresponding untreated native cervicovaginal fluid as well as that of clarified neat cervicovaginal fluid subjected to protease digestion. These ex vivo studies indicate that protonated lactic acid is a major anti-HIV-1 metabolite present in acidic cervicovaginal fluid, suggesting a potential role in reducing HIV transmission by inactivating virus introduced or shed into the cervicovaginal lumen.IMPORTANCE The Lactobacillus-dominated vaginal microbiota is associated with a reduced risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Lactic acid is a major organic acid metabolite produced by lactobacilli that acidifies the vagina and has been reported to have inhibitory activity in vitro against bacterial, protozoan, and viral STIs, including HIV infections. However, the anti-HIV properties of lactic acid in native vaginal lumen fluids of women colonized with Lactobacillus spp. have not yet been established. Our study, using native cervicovaginal fluid from women, found that potent and irreversible anti-HIV-1 activity is significantly associated with the concentration of the protonated (acidic, uncharged) form of lactic acid. This work advances our understanding of the mechanisms by which vaginal microbiota modulate HIV susceptibility and could lead to novel strategies to prevent women from acquiring HIV or transmitting the virus during vaginal intercourse and vaginal birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Tyssen
- Disease Elimination Program, Life Sciences Discipline, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ying-Ying Wang
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Joshua A Hayward
- Disease Elimination Program, Life Sciences Discipline, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul A Agius
- Maternal and Child Health Program, Public Health Discipline, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kevin DeLong
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Muriel Aldunate
- Disease Elimination Program, Life Sciences Discipline, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jacques Ravel
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Richard A Cone
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Gilda Tachedjian
- Disease Elimination Program, Life Sciences Discipline, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Science, College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Abstract
: Bacterial vaginosis, characterized by the replacement of the Lactobacillus-dominant microbiota with anaerobic bacteria and facultative Gram-negative rods, has been associated with adverse reproductive health outcomes including HIV acquisition. With the advent of newer molecular techniques, the vaginal microbiota can be investigated in more detail and the association with HIV examined more thoroughly. This review examines recent evidence suggesting that vaginal dysbiosis with increased microbial diversity, specific vaginal bacterial communities, and the presence and concentrations of some individual bacterial species, may increase HIV susceptibility. Potential mechanisms through which vaginal microbiota could impact HIV susceptibility are discussed. On the basis of the available data, this review finds that there is a modest, but growing, body of evidence linking vaginal microbiota to HIV susceptibility in women. The evidence could be strengthened through two main pathways. First, laboratory studies such as ex-vivo or animal experiments are needed to move from plausible mechanisms towards proven mechanisms that explain an effect of the vaginal microbiota on HIV susceptibility. Second, experimental evidence could directly test the hypothesis that sustaining optimal microbiota reduces HIV risk, though there are important obstacles to conducting such studies. Finally, this review examines strong evidence from a recent publication suggesting that deviations from an optimal vaginal microbiome, and particularly the presence of some bacterial communities with high relative abundance of Gardnerella vaginalis, reduces the efficacy of vaginal tenofovir-based microbicides.
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Passmore JAS, Jaspan HB. Vaginal microbes, inflammation, and HIV risk in African women. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2018; 18:483-484. [PMID: 29396005 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(18)30061-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jo-Ann S Passmore
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town Medical School, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; NRF-DST CAPRISA Centre of Excellence, Cape Town, South Africa; National Health Laboratory Service, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Heather B Jaspan
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town Medical School, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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26
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Mane A, Angadi M, Vidhate P, Bembalkar S, Khan I, Bichare S, Ghate M, Thakar M. Characterization of vaginal lactobacilli from HIV-negative and HIV-positive Indian women and their association with genital HIV-1 shedding. J Med Microbiol 2017; 66:1471-1475. [PMID: 28945188 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the crucial determinants for successful administration of lactobacilli to the vaginal niche is the use of appropriate Lactobacillus species. In this cross-sectional study 54 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative and 76 HIV-positive antiretroviral treatment-naïve women were evaluated for culturable vaginal lactobacilli and their association with genital HIV-1 shedding. Lactobacillus species were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing while cervical and plasma HIV-1 viral load was determined by Abbott real-time PCR. Lactobacilli were isolated in 77.8 % HIV-negative and 73.7 % HIV-positive women. The mean log10 plasma and cervical HIV-1 viral loads (RNA copies ml-1) were 3.73±1.02 and 2.85±0.32 respectively. We observed that presence of L. crispatus, L. gasseri or L. jensenii species was associated with undetectable cervical HIV-1 (P=0.046) and reduced genital HIV-1 shedding (P=0.048) compared to other species. Our findings endorse using Lactobacillus-based strategies to aid the prevention of HIV-1 transmission among Indian women, however confirmation by future prospective studies is indeed warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arati Mane
- National AIDS Research Institute, '73' G block, MIDC, Bhosari, Pune-411026, India
| | - Mansa Angadi
- National AIDS Research Institute, '73' G block, MIDC, Bhosari, Pune-411026, India
| | - Pallavi Vidhate
- National AIDS Research Institute, '73' G block, MIDC, Bhosari, Pune-411026, India
| | - Shilpa Bembalkar
- National AIDS Research Institute, '73' G block, MIDC, Bhosari, Pune-411026, India
| | - Ishrat Khan
- National AIDS Research Institute, '73' G block, MIDC, Bhosari, Pune-411026, India
| | - Shubhangi Bichare
- National AIDS Research Institute, '73' G block, MIDC, Bhosari, Pune-411026, India
| | - Manisha Ghate
- National AIDS Research Institute, '73' G block, MIDC, Bhosari, Pune-411026, India
| | - Madhuri Thakar
- National AIDS Research Institute, '73' G block, MIDC, Bhosari, Pune-411026, India
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27
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Semen Bacterial Concentrations and HIV-1 RNA Shedding Among HIV-1-Seropositive Kenyan Men. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2017; 74:250-257. [PMID: 27861240 PMCID: PMC5305287 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000001244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Introduction: HIV-1 is transmitted through semen from men to their sexual partners. Genital infections can increase HIV-1 RNA shedding in semen, but shedding also occurs in the absence of typical pathogens. We hypothesized that higher bacterial concentrations in semen would be associated with higher HIV-1 RNA levels. Methods: We analyzed semen samples from 42 HIV-1–seropositive Kenyan men using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to assess bacterial concentrations and real-time PCR to measure HIV-1 RNA levels. Generalized estimation equations were used to evaluate associations between these 2 measures. Broad-range 16S rRNA gene PCR with pyrosequencing was performed on a subset of 13 samples to assess bacterial community composition. Results: Bacteria were detected in 96.6% of 88 samples by quantitative PCR. Semen bacterial concentration and HIV-1 RNA levels were correlated 0.30 (P = 0.01). The association between bacterial concentration and HIV-1 RNA detection was not significant after adjustment for antiretroviral therapy (ART) (adjusted odds ratio: 1.27, 95% CI: 0.84 to 1.91). Factors associated with semen bacterial concentration included insertive anal sex (adjusted beta 0.92, 95% CI: 0.12 to 1.73) and ART use (adjusted beta: −0.77, 95% CI: −1.50 to 0.04). Among 13 samples with pyrosequencing data, Corynebacterium spp., Staphylococcus spp., and Streptococcus spp. were most frequently detected. Conclusion: Most of these HIV-1–infected men had bacteria in their semen. ART use was associated with undetectable semen HIV-1 RNA and lower semen bacterial concentrations, whereas insertive anal sex was associated with higher bacterial concentrations. Additional studies evaluating the relationship between semen bacteria, inflammation, mucosal immunity, and HIV-1 shedding are needed to understand implications for HIV-1 transmission.
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28
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Wessman M, Thorsteinsson K, Jensen JS, Storgaard M, Rönsholt FF, Johansen IS, Pedersen G, Nørregård Nielsen L, Bonde J, Katzenstein TL, Weis N, Lebech AM. Bacterial vaginosis, human papilloma virus and herpes viridae do not predict vaginal HIV RNA shedding in women living with HIV in Denmark. BMC Infect Dis 2017; 17:376. [PMID: 28569142 PMCID: PMC5452403 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-017-2477-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacterial vaginosis (BV) has been found to be associated with HIV acquisition and transmission. This is suggested to be due to higher HIV RNA levels in cervicovaginal fluids in women living with HIV (WLWH) with BV, as bacteria associated with BV may induce viral replication and shedding in the genital tract despite undetectable HIV RNA plasma viral load. We examined the prevalence and diagnostic predictors of BV and HIV-1 RNA vaginal shedding in women living with HIV (WLWH) in Denmark, taking into account the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) and herpes viridae. METHODS WLWH between 18-51 years were recruited from six Departments of Infectious Diseases in Denmark during enrolment in the SHADE cohort; a prospective cohort study of WLWH attending regular outpatient care. BV was diagnosed by microscopy of vaginal swabs and PCR was used for detection of BV-associated bacteria, HPV, herpes viridae, and vaginal HIV viral load. RESULTS Median age of the 150 included women was 41 years; ethnicity was predominantly White (35%) or Black (47%). The majority (96%) was on ART and had undetectable (85%) plasma HIV RNA (<40 copies/mL). BV was diagnosed in 32%. Overall, 11% had detectable vaginal HIV RNA. Both before and after adjustment for BV, age, ethnicity, plasma HIV RNA, CD4 cell count, herpes viridae and HPV, we found no significant predictors of HIV RNA vaginal shedding. CONCLUSION In well-treated WLWH, BV, herpes viridae or HPV do not predict vaginal HIV RNA shedding. This implies that HIV shedding does not seem to be increased by BV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Wessman
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Kettegaard Allé 30, Hvidovre, DK-2650, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Kristina Thorsteinsson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Kettegaard Allé 30, Hvidovre, DK-2650, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jørgen S Jensen
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, Statens Serum Institut, 2300, Copenhagen, Artillerivej 5, Denmark
| | - Merete Storgaard
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, Skejby, 8200, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Frederikke F Rönsholt
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Blegdamsvej 9, Rigshospitalet, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Isik S Johansen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Odense University Hospital, Søndre Boulevard 29, 5000, Odense, Denmark
| | - Gitte Pedersen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Aalborg University Hospital, Hobrovej 18-22, 9100, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Lars Nørregård Nielsen
- Department of Lung- and Infectious Diseases, Nordsjællands Hospital, Dyrehavevej 29, 3400, Hillerød, Denmark
| | - Jesper Bonde
- Department of Pathology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Kettegaard Allé 30, Hvidovre, -2650, Copenhagen, DK, Denmark.,Clinical Research Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Terese L Katzenstein
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Blegdamsvej 9, Rigshospitalet, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nina Weis
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Kettegaard Allé 30, Hvidovre, DK-2650, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne-Mette Lebech
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Kettegaard Allé 30, Hvidovre, DK-2650, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Ñahui Palomino RA, Zicari S, Vanpouille C, Vitali B, Margolis L. Vaginal Lactobacillus Inhibits HIV-1 Replication in Human Tissues Ex Vivo. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:906. [PMID: 28579980 PMCID: PMC5437121 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Lactobacillus species, which dominate vaginal microbiota of healthy reproductive-age women, lower the risks of sexually transmitted infections, including the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition. The exact mechanisms of this protection remain to be understood. Here, we investigated these mechanisms in the context of human cervico-vaginal and lymphoid tissues ex vivo. We found that all six Lactobacillus strains tested in these systems significantly suppressed HIV type-1 (HIV-1) infection. We identified at least three factors that mediated this suppression: (i) Acidification of the medium. The pH of the undiluted medium conditioned by lactobacilli was between 3.8 and 4.6. Acidification of the culture medium with hydrochloric acid (HCl) to this pH in control experiments was sufficient to abrogate HIV-1 replication. However, the pH of the Lactobacillus-conditioned medium (CM) diluted fivefold, which reached ∼6.9, was also suppressive for HIV-1 infection, while in control experiments HIV-1 infection was not abrogated when the pH of the medium was brought to 6.9 through the use of HCl. This suggested the existence of other factors responsible for HIV-1 inhibition by lactobacilli. (ii) Lactic acid. There was a correlation between the concentration of lactic acid in the Lactobacillus-CM and its ability to suppress HIV-1 infection in human tissues ex vivo. Addition of lactic acid isomers D and L to tissue culture medium at the concentration that corresponded to their amount released by lactobacilli resulted in HIV-1 inhibition. Isomer L was produced in higher quantities than isomer D and was mostly responsible for HIV-1 inhibition. These results indicate that lactic acid, in particular its L-isomer, inhibits HIV-1 independently of lowering of the pH. (iii) Virucidal effect. Incubation of HIV-1 in Lactobacillus-CM significantly suppressed viral infectivity for human tissues ex vivo. Finally, lactobacilli adsorb HIV-1, serving as a sink decreasing the number of free virions. In summary, we found that lactobacilli inhibit HIV-1 replication in human tissue ex vivo by multiple mechanisms. Further studies are needed to evaluate the potential of altering the spectra of vaginal microbiota as an effective strategy to enhance vaginal health. Human tissues ex vivo may serve as a test system for these strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rogers A Ñahui Palomino
- Section of Intercellular Interaction, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, BethesdaMD, United States.,Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of BolognaBologna, Italy
| | - Sonia Zicari
- Section of Intercellular Interaction, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, BethesdaMD, United States
| | - Christophe Vanpouille
- Section of Intercellular Interaction, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, BethesdaMD, United States
| | - Beatrice Vitali
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of BolognaBologna, Italy
| | - Leonid Margolis
- Section of Intercellular Interaction, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, BethesdaMD, United States
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30
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The role of lactic acid production by probiotic Lactobacillus species in vaginal health. Res Microbiol 2017; 168:782-792. [PMID: 28435139 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2017.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 274] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Revised: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Vaginal eubiosis is characterised by beneficial lactobacillus-dominated microbiota. In contrast, vaginal dysbiosis (e.g. bacterial vaginosis, BV), characterised by an overgrowth of multiple anaerobes, is associated with an increased risk of adverse urogenital and reproductive health outcomes. A major distinguishing feature between the vaginal environment in states of eubiosis and dysbiosis is a high concentration of lactic acid, produced by lactobacilli, that acidifies the vagina in eubiosis versus a sharp drop in lactic acid and an increase in pH in dysbiosis. Here we review the antimicrobial, antiviral and immunomodulatory properties of lactic acid and the use of lactic acid and lactobacilli probiotics in preventing or treating BV.
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31
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The Application of Molecular Methods Towards an Understanding of the Role of the Vaginal Microbiome in Health and Disease. METHODS IN MICROBIOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mim.2017.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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32
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Petrova MI, Reid G, Vaneechoutte M, Lebeer S. Lactobacillus iners: Friend or Foe? Trends Microbiol 2016; 25:182-191. [PMID: 27914761 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2016.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 249] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2016] [Revised: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The vaginal microbial community is typically characterized by abundant lactobacilli. Lactobacillus iners, a fairly recently detected species, is frequently present in the vaginal niche. However, the role of this species in vaginal health is unclear, since it can be detected in normal conditions as well as during vaginal dysbiosis, such as bacterial vaginosis, a condition characterized by an abnormal increase in bacterial diversity and lack of typical lactobacilli. Compared to other Lactobacillus species, L. iners has more complex nutritional requirements and a Gram-variable morphology. L. iners has an unusually small genome (ca. 1 Mbp), indicative of a symbiotic or parasitic lifestyle, in contrast to other lactobacilli that show niche flexibility and genomes of up to 3-4 Mbp. The presence of specific L. iners genes, such as those encoding iron-sulfur proteins and unique σ-factors, reflects a high degree of niche specification. The genome of L. iners strains also encodes inerolysin, a pore-forming toxin related to vaginolysin of Gardnerella vaginalis. Possibly, this organism may have clonal variants that in some cases promote a healthy vagina, and in other cases are associated with dysbiosis and disease. Future research should examine this friend or foe relationship with the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariya I Petrova
- KU Leuven, Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, box 2460, B- 3001 Leuven, Belgium; University of Antwerp, Department of Bioscience Engineering, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Gregor Reid
- Western University Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Surgery, and The Lawson Health Research Institute London, 268 Grosvenor Street, London, ON Canada N6A 4V2
| | - Mario Vaneechoutte
- Ghent University, Laboratory of Bacteriology Research, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, De Pintelaan 185, Medical Research Building 2, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Sarah Lebeer
- KU Leuven, Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, box 2460, B- 3001 Leuven, Belgium; University of Antwerp, Department of Bioscience Engineering, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium.
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Mitra A, MacIntyre DA, Marchesi JR, Lee YS, Bennett PR, Kyrgiou M. The vaginal microbiota, human papillomavirus infection and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: what do we know and where are we going next? MICROBIOME 2016; 4:58. [PMID: 27802830 PMCID: PMC5088670 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-016-0203-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 242] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The vaginal microbiota plays a significant role in health and disease of the female reproductive tract. Next-generation sequencing techniques based upon the analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA genes permit in-depth study of vaginal microbial community structure to a level of detail not possible with standard culture-based microbiological techniques. The human papillomavirus (HPV) causes both cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer. Although the virus is highly prevalent, only a small number of women have a persistent HPV infection and subsequently develop clinically significant disease. There is emerging evidence which leads us to conclude that increased diversity of vaginal microbiota combined with reduced relative abundance of Lactobacillus spp. is involved in HPV acquisition and persistence and the development of cervical precancer and cancer. In this review, we summarise the current literature and discuss potential mechanisms for the involvement of vaginal microbiota in the evolution of CIN and cervical cancer. The concept of manipulation of vaginal bacterial communities using pre- and probiotics is also discussed as an exciting prospect for the field of cervical pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Mitra
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, W120NN, London, UK
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea-Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - David A MacIntyre
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, W120NN, London, UK.
| | - Julian R Marchesi
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Division of Digestive Diseases, St. Mary's Hospital, Imperial College London, South Wharf Road, London, UK
- Centre for Digestive and Gut Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Yun S Lee
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, W120NN, London, UK
| | - Phillip R Bennett
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, W120NN, London, UK
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea-Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Maria Kyrgiou
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, W120NN, London, UK.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea-Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
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Keller MJ, McGinn AP, Lo Y, Huber A, Espinoza L, Minkoff H, Colie C, Nowicki MJ, D'Souza G, Anastos K. Longitudinal Assessment of Systemic and Genital Tract Inflammatory Markers and Endogenous Genital Tract E. coli Inhibitory Activity in HIV-Infected and Uninfected Women. Am J Reprod Immunol 2016; 75:631-42. [PMID: 27145926 DOI: 10.1111/aji.12518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Stability over time of systemic and mucosal immunity and their associations with bacterial vaginosis (BV) and HIV-specific parameters were assessed. METHOD OF STUDY Immune mediators and HIV viral load in plasma and cervicovaginal lavage (CVL), E. coli inhibition, and Nugent score were measured at three semiannual visits among 94 participants in the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Mixed models identified the factors associated with immune mediators. RESULTS There was higher E. coli inhibition and lower inflammation over time in the genital tract and systemically. BV was consistently associated with higher CVL inflammatory mediators and lower CVL E. coli inhibition. HIV-infected women with higher CD4 counts had lower systemic and genital inflammatory mediators, and genital HIV shedding was associated with higher CVL inflammatory mediators. Use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) was associated with lower plasma and CVL mediators, but higher E. coli inhibition. CONCLUSION HIV and BV are linked to inflammation, and ART may be associated with improved vaginal health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yungtai Lo
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Ashley Huber
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
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van de Wijgert JH, Jespers V. Incorporating microbiota data into epidemiologic models: examples from vaginal microbiota research. Ann Epidemiol 2016; 26:360-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2016.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Revised: 03/13/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Eisenberg T, Glaeser SP, Ewers C, Semmler T, Drescher B, Kämpfer P. Caviibacter abscessus gen. nov., sp. nov., a member of the family Leptotrichiaceae isolated from guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2016; 66:1652-1659. [DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.000922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefanie P. Glaeser
- Institut für Angewandte Mikrobiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Christa Ewers
- Institut für Hygiene und Infektionskrankheiten der Tiere, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | | | | | - Peter Kämpfer
- Institut für Angewandte Mikrobiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
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van de Wijgert JHHM, Borgdorff H, Verhelst R, Crucitti T, Francis S, Verstraelen H, Jespers V. The vaginal microbiota: what have we learned after a decade of molecular characterization? PLoS One 2016. [PMID: 25148517 DOI: 10.1371/joumal.pone.0105998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
We conducted a systematic review of the Medline database (U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, U.S.A) to determine if consistent molecular vaginal microbiota (VMB) composition patterns can be discerned after a decade of molecular testing, and to evaluate demographic, behavioral and clinical determinants of VMB compositions. Studies were eligible when published between 1 January 2008 and 15 November 2013, and if at least one molecular technique (sequencing, PCR, DNA fingerprinting, or DNA hybridization) was used to characterize the VMB. Sixty three eligible studies were identified. These studies have now conclusively shown that lactobacilli-dominated VMB are associated with a healthy vaginal micro-environment and that bacterial vaginosis (BV) is best described as a polybacterial dysbiosis. The extent of dysbiosis correlates well with Nugent score and vaginal pH but not with the other Amsel criteria. Lactobacillus crispatus is more beneficial than L. iners. Longitudinal studies have shown that a L. crispatus-dominated VMB is more likely to shift to a L. iners-dominated or mixed lactobacilli VMB than to full dysbiosis. Data on VMB determinants are scarce and inconsistent, but dysbiosis is consistently associated with HIV, human papillomavirus (HPV), and Trichomonas vaginalis infection. In contrast, vaginal colonization with Candida spp. is more common in women with a lactobacilli-dominated VMB than in women with dysbiosis. Cervicovaginal mucosal immune responses to molecular VMB compositions have not yet been properly characterized. Molecular techniques have now become more affordable, and we make a case for incorporating them into larger epidemiological studies to address knowledge gaps in etiology and pathogenesis of dysbiosis, associations of different dysbiotic states with clinical outcomes, and to evaluate interventions aimed at restoring and maintaining a lactobacilli-dominated VMB.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hanneke Borgdorff
- Academic Medical Center and Amsterdam Institute of Global Health and Development, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rita Verhelst
- International Centre for Reproductive Health, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tania Crucitti
- Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Suzanna Francis
- London School for Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hans Verstraelen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Vicky Jespers
- Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
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Woodman Z. Can one size fit all? Approach to bacterial vaginosis in sub-Saharan Africa. Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob 2016; 15:16. [PMID: 26968525 PMCID: PMC4787044 DOI: 10.1186/s12941-016-0132-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal disorder affecting women of reproductive age and is associated with increased risk of sexually transmitted infections such as human immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV-1). Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest BV and HIV-1 burden and yet very few studies have focused on understanding the aetiology of BV and its association with HIV in this region. It has been suggested that we need to accurately diagnose and treat BV to lower the risk of HIV infection globally. However, effective diagnosis requires knowledge of what constitutes a "healthy" cervicovaginal microbiome and current studies indicate that Lactobacillus crispatus might not be the only commensal protective against BV: healthy women from different countries and ethnicities harbour alternative commensals. Microbiotas associated with BV have also shown global variation, further complicating effective diagnosis via culture-based assays as some species are difficult to grow. Antibiotics and probiotics have been suggested to be key in controlling BV infection, but the efficacy of this treatment might rely on reconstituting endogenous commensals while targeting a specific species of BV-associated bacteria (BVAB). Alternatively, therapy could inhibit essential BV bacterial growth factors e.g. sialidases or provide anti-microbial compounds e.g. lactic acid associated with a healthy cervicovaginal microbiome. But without global investigation into the mechanism of BV pathogenesis and its association with HIV, selection of such compounds could be limited to Caucasian women from certain regions. To confirm this suggestion and guide future therapy we require standardised diagnostic assays and research methodologies. This review will focus on research papers that describe the global variation of BV aetiology and how this influences the identification of determinants of BV pathogenesis and potential probiotic and antimicrobial therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zenda Woodman
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa.
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Churchman SA, Moss JA, Baum MM. Accurate measurement of female genital tract fluid dilution in cervicovaginal lavage samples. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2016; 1017-1018:75-81. [PMID: 26950030 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2016.02.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Revised: 02/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
An ion chromatographic method with conductivity detection for the precise and accurate analysis of lithium ions in phosphate-buffered saline, used as a cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) fluid, was developed and validated. The lithium ion dilution factor during the CVL is used to calculate the volume of cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) collected. Initial CVL Li(+) concentrations of 1mM and 10mM were evaluated. The method is robust, practical, and afforded an accurate measurement (5% of the measurement, or better) at 24μL of vaginal fluid simulant collected per mL of CVL fluid, as low as 5μLmL(-1) using 10mM Li(+) with a measurement accuracy of 6.7%. Ion chromatograms of real-world CVL samples collected in vivo from common animal models (sheep and pig-tailed macaque) and a human volunteer demonstrate that the analysis is interference-free. The method is readily transferrable and should enable the accurate measurement of CVF volume collected during CVLs benefitting a broad range of research disciplines, including pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, metabolomic, and microbiome studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A Churchman
- Auritec Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 2285 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - John A Moss
- Department of Chemistry, Oak Crest Institute of Science, 128-132 W. Chestnut Ave., Monrovia, CA, United States
| | - Marc M Baum
- Department of Chemistry, Oak Crest Institute of Science, 128-132 W. Chestnut Ave., Monrovia, CA, United States.
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40
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Kerubo E, Laserson KF, Otecko N, Odhiambo C, Mason L, Nyothach E, Oruko KO, Bauman A, Vulule J, Zeh C, Phillips-Howard PA. Prevalence of reproductive tract infections and the predictive value of girls' symptom-based reporting: findings from a cross-sectional survey in rural western Kenya. Sex Transm Infect 2016; 92:251-6. [PMID: 26819339 PMCID: PMC4893088 DOI: 10.1136/sextrans-2015-052371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2015] [Accepted: 12/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Reproductive tract infections (RTIs), including sexually acquired, among adolescent girls is a public health concern, but few studies have measured prevalence in low-middle-income countries. The objective of this study was to examine prevalence in rural schoolgirls in Kenya against their reported symptoms. Methods In 2013, a survey was conducted in 542 adolescent schoolgirls aged 14–17 years who were enrolled in a menstrual feasibility study. Vaginal self-swabbing was conducted after girls were interviewed face-to-face by trained nurses on symptoms. The prevalence of girls with symptoms and laboratory-confirmed infections, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of symptoms compared with laboratory results, were calculated. Results Of 515 girls agreeing to self-swab, 510 answered symptom questions. A quarter (24%) reported one or more symptoms; most commonly vaginal discharge (11%), pain (9%) or itching (4%). Laboratory tests confirmed 28% of girls had one or more RTI. Prevalence rose with age; among girls aged 16–17 years, 33% had infections. Bacterial vaginosis was the most common (18%), followed by Candida albicans (9%), Chlamydia trachomatis (3%), Trichomonas vaginalis (3%) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (1%). Reported symptoms had a low sensitivity and positive predictive value. Three-quarters of girls with bacterial vaginosis and C. albicans, and 50% with T. vaginalis were asymptomatic. Conclusions There is a high prevalence of adolescent schoolgirls with RTI in rural Kenya. Public efforts are required to identify and treat infections among girls to reduce longer-term sequelae but poor reliability of symptom reporting minimises utility of symptom-based diagnosis in this population. Trial registration number ISRCTN17486946.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Kerubo
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Kisumu, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Kayla F Laserson
- Division of Global Health Protection, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA
| | - Newton Otecko
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Kisumu, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Collins Odhiambo
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Kisumu, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Linda Mason
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Elizabeth Nyothach
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Kisumu, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Kelvin O Oruko
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Kisumu, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Ashley Bauman
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - John Vulule
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Kisumu, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Clement Zeh
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Penelope A Phillips-Howard
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Kisumu, Kisumu, Kenya Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
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Aldunate M, Srbinovski D, Hearps AC, Latham CF, Ramsland PA, Gugasyan R, Cone RA, Tachedjian G. Antimicrobial and immune modulatory effects of lactic acid and short chain fatty acids produced by vaginal microbiota associated with eubiosis and bacterial vaginosis. Front Physiol 2015; 6:164. [PMID: 26082720 PMCID: PMC4451362 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2015.00164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Lactic acid and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by vaginal microbiota have reported antimicrobial and immune modulatory activities indicating their potential as biomarkers of disease and/or disease susceptibility. In asymptomatic women of reproductive-age the vaginal microbiota is comprised of lactic acid-producing bacteria that are primarily responsible for the production of lactic acid present at ~110 mM and acidifying the vaginal milieu to pH ~3.5. In contrast, bacterial vaginosis (BV), a dysbiosis of the vaginal microbiota, is characterized by decreased lactic acid-producing microbiota and increased diverse anaerobic bacteria accompanied by an elevated pH>4.5. BV is also characterized by a dramatic loss of lactic acid and greater concentrations of mixed SCFAs including acetate, propionate, butyrate, and succinate. Notably women with lactic acid-producing microbiota have more favorable reproductive and sexual health outcomes compared to women with BV. Regarding the latter, BV is associated with increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV. In vitro studies demonstrate that lactic acid produced by vaginal microbiota has microbicidal and virucidal activities that may protect against STIs and endogenous opportunistic bacteria as well as immune modulatory properties that require further characterization with regard to their effects on the vaginal mucosa. In contrast, BV-associated SCFAs have far less antimicrobial activity with the potential to contribute to a pro-inflammatory vaginal environment. Here we review the composition of lactic acid and SCFAs in respective states of eubiosis (non-BV) or dysbiosis (BV), their effects on susceptibility to bacterial/viral STIs and whether they have inherent microbicidal/virucidal and immune modulatory properties. We also explore their potential as biomarkers for the presence and/or increased susceptibility to STIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muriel Aldunate
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute Melbourne, VIC, Australia ; Department of Microbiology, Nursing and Health, Faculty of Medicine, Monash University Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Daniela Srbinovski
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute Melbourne, VIC, Australia ; Department of Microbiology, Nursing and Health, Faculty of Medicine, Monash University Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Anna C Hearps
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute Melbourne, VIC, Australia ; Department of Infectious Disease, Monash University Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Catherine F Latham
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Paul A Ramsland
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute Melbourne, VIC, Australia ; Department of Immunology, Monash University Melbourne, VIC, Australia ; Department of Surgery Austin Health, The University of Melbourne Heidelberg, VIC, Australia ; School of Biomedical Sciences, CHIRI Biosciences, Curtin University Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Raffi Gugasyan
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute Melbourne, VIC, Australia ; Department of Immunology, Monash University Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Richard A Cone
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gilda Tachedjian
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute Melbourne, VIC, Australia ; Department of Microbiology, Nursing and Health, Faculty of Medicine, Monash University Clayton, VIC, Australia ; Department of Infectious Disease, Monash University Melbourne, VIC, Australia ; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Petrova MI, Lievens E, Malik S, Imholz N, Lebeer S. Lactobacillus species as biomarkers and agents that can promote various aspects of vaginal health. Front Physiol 2015; 6:81. [PMID: 25859220 PMCID: PMC4373506 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2015.00081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 270] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The human body is colonized by a vast number of microorganisms collectively referred to as the human microbiota. One of the main microbiota body sites is the female genital tract, commonly dominated by Lactobacillus spp., in approximately 70% of women. Each individual species can constitute approximately 99% of the ribotypes observed in any individual woman. The most frequently isolated species are Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus jensenii and Lactobacillus iners. Residing at the port of entry of bacterial and viral pathogens, the vaginal Lactobacillus species can create a barrier against pathogen invasion since mainly products of their metabolism secreted in the cervicovaginal fluid can play an important role in the inhibition of bacterial and viral infections. Therefore, a Lactobacillus-dominated microbiota appears to be a good biomarker for a healthy vaginal ecosystem. This balance can be rapidly altered during processes such as menstruation, sexual activity, pregnancy and various infections. An abnormal vaginal microbiota is characterized by an increased diversity of microbial species, leading to a condition known as bacterial vaginosis. Information on the vaginal microbiota can be gathered from the analysis of cervicovaginal fluid, by using the Nugent scoring or the Amsel's criteria, or at the molecular level by investigating the number and type of Lactobacillus species. However, when translating this to the clinical setting, it should be noted that the absence of a Lactobacillus-dominated microbiota does not appear to directly imply a diseased condition or dysbiosis. Nevertheless, the widely documented beneficial role of vaginal Lactobacillus species demonstrates the potential of data on the composition and activity of lactobacilli as biomarkers for vaginal health. The substantiation and further validation of such biomarkers will allow the design of better targeted probiotic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariya I Petrova
- Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp Antwerp, Belgium ; Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elke Lievens
- Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp Antwerp, Belgium ; Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven Leuven, Belgium
| | - Shweta Malik
- Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp Antwerp, Belgium ; Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nicole Imholz
- Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp Antwerp, Belgium ; Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sarah Lebeer
- Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp Antwerp, Belgium ; Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven Leuven, Belgium
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Neuendorf E, Gajer P, Bowlin AK, Marques PX, Ma B, Yang H, Fu L, Humphrys MS, Forney LJ, Myers GSA, Bavoil PM, Rank RG, Ravel J. Chlamydia caviae infection alters abundance but not composition of the guinea pig vaginal microbiota. Pathog Dis 2015; 73:ftv019. [PMID: 25761873 PMCID: PMC4445005 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftv019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In humans, the vaginal microbiota is thought to be the first line of defense again pathogens including Chlamydia trachomatis. The guinea pig has been extensively used as a model to study chlamydial infection because it shares anatomical and physiological similarities with humans, such as a squamous vaginal epithelium as well as some of the long-term outcomes caused by chlamydial infection. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the guinea pig-C. caviae model of genital infection as a surrogate for studying the role of the vaginal microbiota in the early steps of C. trachomatis infection in humans. We used culture-independent molecular methods to characterize the relative and absolute abundance of bacterial phylotypes in the guinea pig vaginal microbiota in animals non-infected, mock-infected or infected by C. caviae. We showed that the guinea pig and human vaginal microbiotas are of different bacterial composition and abundance. Chlamydia caviae infection had a profound effect on the absolute abundance of bacterial phylotypes but not on the composition of the guinea pig vaginal microbiota. Our findings compromise the validity of the guinea pig-C. caviae model to study the role of the vaginal microbiota during the early steps of sexually transmitted infection. The vaginal microbiota of the guinea pig differs from that of humans and cannot prevent chlamydial infections efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Neuendorf
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Pawel Gajer
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Anne K Bowlin
- Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA
| | - Patricia X Marques
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Bing Ma
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Hongqiu Yang
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Li Fu
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Michael S Humphrys
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Larry J Forney
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies (IBEST), University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843, USA
| | - Garry S A Myers
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Patrik M Bavoil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies (IBEST), University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843, USA
| | - Roger G Rank
- Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA
| | - Jacques Ravel
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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Jespers V, van de Wijgert J, Cools P, Verhelst R, Verstraelen H, Delany-Moretlwe S, Mwaura M, Ndayisaba GF, Mandaliya K, Menten J, Hardy L, Crucitti T. The significance of Lactobacillus crispatus and L. vaginalis for vaginal health and the negative effect of recent sex: a cross-sectional descriptive study across groups of African women. BMC Infect Dis 2015; 15:115. [PMID: 25879811 PMCID: PMC4351943 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-015-0825-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2014] [Accepted: 02/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Women in sub-Saharan Africa are vulnerable to acquiring HIV infection and reproductive tract infections. Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a disruption of the vaginal microbiota, has been shown to be strongly associated with HIV infection. Risk factors related to potentially protective or harmful microbiota species are not known. METHODS We present cross-sectional quantitative polymerase chain reaction data of the Lactobacillus genus, five Lactobacillus species, and three BV-related bacteria (Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae, and Prevotella bivia) together with Escherichia coli and Candida albicans in 426 African women across different groups at risk for HIV. We selected a reference group of adult HIV-negative women at average risk for HIV acquisition and compared species variations in subgroups of adolescents, HIV-negative pregnant women, women engaging in traditional vaginal practices, sex workers and a group of HIV-positive women on combination antiretroviral therapy. We explored the associations between presence and quantity of the bacteria with BV by Nugent score, in relation to several factors of known or theoretical importance. RESULTS The presence of species across Kenyan, South African and Rwandan women was remarkably similar and few differences were seen between the two groups of reference women in Kenya and South Africa. The Rwandan sex workers and HIV-positive women had the highest G. vaginalis presence (p = 0.006). Pregnant women had a higher Lactobacillus genus mean log (7.01 genome equivalents (geq)/ml) compared to the reference women (6.08 geq/ml). L. vaginalis (43%) was second to L. iners (81.9%) highly present in women with a normal Nugent score. Recent sexual exposure negatively affected the presence of L. crispatus (<0.001), L. vaginalis (p = 0.001), and Lactobacillus genus (p < 0.001). Having more than one sexual partner in the last three months was associated with an increased prevalence of G. vaginalis (p = 0.044) and L. iners (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Although the composition of species across the studied African countries was similar, the presence of protective species i.e. L. crispatus and L. vaginalis in women with a normal Nugent score appeared lower compared to non-African studies. Furthermore, Lactobacillus species were negatively affected by sexual behavioural. Strategies to support protective Lactobacillus species are urgently needed. TRIAL REGISTRATION The study is registered at the Trial Registration at the National Health Research Ethics Council South Africa with the number DOH2709103223.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicky Jespers
- Department of Public Health, Unit of Epidemiology and Control of HIV/STD, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, B-2000, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Janneke van de Wijgert
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| | - Piet Cools
- Laboratory Bacteriology Research, University Gent, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Rita Verhelst
- International Center for Reproductive Health (ICRH), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Hans Verstraelen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Sinead Delany-Moretlwe
- Wits Reproductive Health & HIV Institute, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | | | | | | | - Joris Menten
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Liselotte Hardy
- Department of Public Health, Unit of Epidemiology and Control of HIV/STD, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, B-2000, Antwerp, Belgium. .,Department of Clinical Sciences, HIV/STI Reference Laboratory, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Tania Crucitti
- Department of Clinical Sciences, HIV/STI Reference Laboratory, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
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HIV-1 shedding from the female genital tract is associated with increased Th1 cytokines/chemokines that maintain tissue homeostasis and proportions of CD8+FOXP3+ T cells. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2015; 67:357-64. [PMID: 25202922 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000000336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND HIV-1 shedding from the female genital tract is associated with increased sexual and perinatal transmission and has been broadly evaluated in cross-sectional studies. However, few longitudinal studies have evaluated how the immune microenvironment effects shedding. METHODS Thirty-nine HIV-1-infected women had blood, cervicovaginal lavage, and biopsies of the uterine cervix taken quarterly for up to 5 years. Cytokines/chemokines were quantified by Luminex assay in cervicovaginal lavage, and cellular phenotypes were characterized using immunohistochemistry in cervical biopsies. Comparisons of cytokine/chemokine concentrations and the percent of tissue staining positive for T cells were compared using generalized estimating equations between non-shedding and shedding visits across all women and within a subgroup of women who intermittently shed HIV-1. RESULTS Genital HIV-1 shedding was more common when plasma HIV-1 was detected. Cytokines associated with cell growth (interleukin-7), Th1 cells/inflammation (interleukin-12p70), and fractalkine were significantly increased at shedding visits compared with non-shedding visits within intermittent shedders and across all subjects. Within intermittent shedders and across all subjects, FOXP3 T cells were significantly decreased at shedding visits. However, there were significant increases in CD8 cells and proportions of CD8FOXP3 T cells associated with HIV-1 shedding. CONCLUSIONS Within intermittent HIV-1 shedders, decreases in FOXP3 T cells at the shedding visit suggests that local HIV-1 replication leads to CD4 T-cell depletion, with increases in the proportion of CD8FOXP3 cells. HIV-1-infected cell loss may promote a cytokine milieu that maintains cellular homeostasis and increases immune suppressor cells in response to HIV-1 replication in the cervical tissues.
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Austin MN, Rabe LK, Srinivasan S, Fredricks DN, Wiesenfeld HC, Hillier SL. Mageeibacillus indolicus gen. nov., sp. nov.: a novel bacterium isolated from the female genital tract. Anaerobe 2014; 32:37-42. [PMID: 25482717 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2014.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2014] [Revised: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Three isolates of a bacterium recovered from human endometrium using conventional culture methods were characterized biochemically and subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Isolates were non-motile, obligately anaerobic, non-spore forming, asaccharolytic, non-cellulolytic, indole positive, Gram positive rods. Cell wall fatty acid profiling revealed C14:0, C16:0, C18:2 ω6, 9c, C18:1 ω9c and C18:0 to be the major fatty acid composition. The DNA mol % G+C was determined to be 44.2%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed only 91% sequence similarity with the closest cultivated bacterial isolate, Saccharofermentans acetigenes. Based on genotypic and phenotypic data, all three isolates are considered to be members of the same species and data suggest it represents a novel genus and species in the order Clostridiales with an association with Clostridium rRNA cluster III within the family Ruminococcaceae. We propose the name, Mageeibacillus indolicus gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain is BAA-2120(T) and CCUG 59143(T).
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele N Austin
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, 204 Craft Avenue, Lab A530, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Lorna K Rabe
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, 204 Craft Avenue, Lab A530, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sujatha Srinivasan
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - David N Fredricks
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Harold C Wiesenfeld
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, 204 Craft Avenue, Lab A530, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; University of Pittsburgh, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sharon L Hillier
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, 204 Craft Avenue, Lab A530, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; University of Pittsburgh, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Imade GE, Musa J, Sagay AS, Kapiga SH, Sankale JL, Idoko J, Kanki P. Association of Bacterial vaginosis and other Sexually Transmitted Infections with HIV among pregnant women in Nigeria. AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE AND MEDICAL SCIENCES 2014; 43:23-28. [PMID: 26681823 PMCID: PMC4679194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine the association of Bacterial vaginosis (BV) and other sexually transmissible infections (STIs) with HIV prevalence among pregnant women in Jos, Nigeria. METHODS This was a cross- sectional study of pregnant women who participated in the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV program of the AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria, between April 2002 and July 2004, at the Jos University Teaching Hospital in Jos, Nigeria. Blood, high vaginal and endocervical samples were obtained for diagnosis of HIV, BV and other STIs. Data were analyzed for prevalence of HIV, BV and other STIs. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models generated unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (OR) as well as 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the association of BV and other STIs with HIV prevalence. P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS A total of 4,046 pregnant women were studied and 97.6% (3,950/4,046) had complete laboratory records for analysis. The prevalence of HIV was 8.2% (CI: 7.4-9.1); BV 11.9% (CI: 10.9-12.9); Candida 10.7% (CI: 9.7-11.7); mixed infection of BV and Candida 2.8% (CI: 2.3-3.4); Trichomonads 0.6% (CI: 0.3-0.8) and syphilis 0.35% (0.16-0.54). BV, Candida, mixed BV and Candida; and Trichomonads were independently associated with HIV infection [adjusted OR (95% CI), 2.9 (CI: 2.2-3.9); 2.0 (CI: 1.5-2.9); 3.4 (CI: 2.0-5.6), and 3.3 (CI: 1.1-9.7) respectively]. CONCLUSION HIV prevalence is higher among pregnant women who have BV, Candida and Trichomonads vaginal infections compared with women who have no evidence of infection. The practice of routine screening for BV and other STIs among pregnant women as a strategy for identifying women at risk for prevalent HIV infection should be sustained/ encouraged and the syndromic management of STIs should be integrated into all antenatal care management protocols in antenatal clinics in order to curb the epidemic of heterosexual HIV transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godwin E. Imade
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Jos /Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | - Jonah Musa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Jos /Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | - Atiene S. Sagay
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Jos /Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | - Saidi H. Kapiga
- Department of Population and International Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jean-Louis Sankale
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston MA, USA
| | - John Idoko
- Department of Medicine, University of Jos /Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | - Phyllis Kanki
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston MA, USA
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van de Wijgert JHHM, Borgdorff H, Verhelst R, Crucitti T, Francis S, Verstraelen H, Jespers V. The vaginal microbiota: what have we learned after a decade of molecular characterization? PLoS One 2014; 9:e105998. [PMID: 25148517 PMCID: PMC4141851 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 301] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We conducted a systematic review of the Medline database (U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, U.S.A) to determine if consistent molecular vaginal microbiota (VMB) composition patterns can be discerned after a decade of molecular testing, and to evaluate demographic, behavioral and clinical determinants of VMB compositions. Studies were eligible when published between 1 January 2008 and 15 November 2013, and if at least one molecular technique (sequencing, PCR, DNA fingerprinting, or DNA hybridization) was used to characterize the VMB. Sixty three eligible studies were identified. These studies have now conclusively shown that lactobacilli-dominated VMB are associated with a healthy vaginal micro-environment and that bacterial vaginosis (BV) is best described as a polybacterial dysbiosis. The extent of dysbiosis correlates well with Nugent score and vaginal pH but not with the other Amsel criteria. Lactobacillus crispatus is more beneficial than L. iners. Longitudinal studies have shown that a L. crispatus-dominated VMB is more likely to shift to a L. iners-dominated or mixed lactobacilli VMB than to full dysbiosis. Data on VMB determinants are scarce and inconsistent, but dysbiosis is consistently associated with HIV, human papillomavirus (HPV), and Trichomonas vaginalis infection. In contrast, vaginal colonization with Candida spp. is more common in women with a lactobacilli-dominated VMB than in women with dysbiosis. Cervicovaginal mucosal immune responses to molecular VMB compositions have not yet been properly characterized. Molecular techniques have now become more affordable, and we make a case for incorporating them into larger epidemiological studies to address knowledge gaps in etiology and pathogenesis of dysbiosis, associations of different dysbiotic states with clinical outcomes, and to evaluate interventions aimed at restoring and maintaining a lactobacilli-dominated VMB.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hanneke Borgdorff
- Academic Medical Center and Amsterdam Institute of Global Health and Development, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rita Verhelst
- International Centre for Reproductive Health, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tania Crucitti
- Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Suzanna Francis
- London School for Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hans Verstraelen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Vicky Jespers
- Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
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Singh VK, Anis A, Banerjee I, Pramanik K, Bhattacharya MK, Pal K. Preparation and characterization of novel carbopol based bigels for topical delivery of metronidazole for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2014; 44:151-8. [PMID: 25280691 DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2014.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2014] [Revised: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The current study reports the development of bigels using sorbitan monostearate-sesame oil organogel and carbopol 934 hydrogel. The microstructures and physicochemical properties were investigated by microscopy, viscosity measurement, mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry analysis. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed the formation of oil-in-water type of emulsion gel. There was an increase in the strength of the bigels as the proportion of the organogel was increased in the bigels. The developed bigels showed shear-thinning flow behavior. The stress relaxation study suggested viscoelastic nature of the bigels. The developed bigels were biocompatible. Metronidazole, drug of choice for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, loaded bigels showed diffusion-mediated drug release. The drug loaded gels showed good antimicrobial efficiency against Escherichia coli. In gist, the developed bigels may be used as delivery vehicles for the vaginal delivery of the drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinay K Singh
- Department of Biotechnology & Medical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela-769008, Odisha, India
| | - Arfat Anis
- SABIC Polymer Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh-11421, Saudi Arabia
| | - Indranil Banerjee
- Department of Biotechnology & Medical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela-769008, Odisha, India
| | - Krishna Pramanik
- Department of Biotechnology & Medical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela-769008, Odisha, India
| | - Mrinal K Bhattacharya
- Department of Botany and Biotechnology, Karimganj College, Karimganj-788710, Assam, India
| | - Kunal Pal
- Department of Biotechnology & Medical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela-769008, Odisha, India.
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50
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Africa CWJ, Nel J, Stemmet M. Anaerobes and bacterial vaginosis in pregnancy: virulence factors contributing to vaginal colonisation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2014; 11:6979-7000. [PMID: 25014248 PMCID: PMC4113856 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph110706979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2014] [Revised: 06/25/2014] [Accepted: 06/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The aetiology and pathogenesis of bacterial vaginosis (BV) is unclear but it appears to be associated with factors that disrupt the normal acidity of the vagina thus altering the equilibrium between the normal vaginal microbiota. BV has serious implications for female morbidity, including reports of pelvic inflammatory disease, adverse pregnancy outcomes, increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections and infertility. This paper reviewed new available information regarding possible factors contributing to the establishment of the BV vaginal biofilm, examined the proposed role of anaerobic microbial species recently detected by new culture-independent methods and discusses developments related to the effects of BV on human pregnancy. The literature search included Pubmed (NLM), LISTA (EBSCO), and Web of Science. Because of the complexity and diversity of population groups, diagnosis and methodology used, no meta-analysis was performed. Several anaerobic microbial species previously missed in the laboratory diagnosis of BV have been revealed while taking cognisance of newly proposed theories of infection, thereby improving our understanding and knowledge of the complex aetiology and pathogenesis of BV and its perceived role in adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlene W J Africa
- Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Janske Nel
- Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Megan Stemmet
- Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, Cape Town, South Africa.
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