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Toh E, Xing Y, Gao X, Jordan SJ, Batteiger TA, Batteiger BE, Van Der Pol B, Muzny CA, Gebregziabher N, Williams JA, Fortenberry LJ, Fortenberry JD, Dong Q, Nelson DE. Sexual behavior shapes male genitourinary microbiome composition. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:100981. [PMID: 36948151 PMCID: PMC10040456 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.100981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
The origin, composition, and significance of the distal male urethral microbiome are unclear, but vaginal microbiome dysbiosis is linked to new sex partners and several urogynecological syndromes. We characterized 110 urethral specimens from men without urethral symptoms, infections, or inflammation using shotgun metagenomics. Most urethral specimens contain characteristic lactic acid bacteria and Corynebacterium spp. In contrast, several bacteria associated with vaginal dysbiosis were present only in specimens from men who reported vaginal intercourse. Sexual behavior, but not other evaluated behavioral, demographic, or clinical variables, strongly associated with inter-specimen variance in urethral microbiome composition. Thus, the male urethra supports a simple core microbiome that is established independent of sexual exposures but can be re-shaped by vaginal sex. Overall, the results suggest that urogenital microbiology and sexual behavior are inexorably intertwined, and show that the male urethra harbors female urogenital pathobionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Toh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Yue Xing
- Department of Medicine, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Xiang Gao
- Department of Medicine, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Stephen J Jordan
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Teresa A Batteiger
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Byron E Batteiger
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Barbara Van Der Pol
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Christina A Muzny
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Netsanet Gebregziabher
- Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - James A Williams
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Lora J Fortenberry
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - J Dennis Fortenberry
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Qunfeng Dong
- Department of Medicine, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA; Center for Biomedical Informatics, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA.
| | - David E Nelson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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