-
Cytokine Jan 2021Recent studies suggest that alterations in the vaginal microbiome allow for the assessment of the risk for spontaneous preterm birth (PTB), the leading cause of neonatal...
BACKGROUND
Recent studies suggest that alterations in the vaginal microbiome allow for the assessment of the risk for spontaneous preterm birth (PTB), the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, the associations between the local immune response and the vaginal microbiome are still poorly understood. Herein, we characterize the vaginal host immune-microbiome interactions in women who ultimately underwent PTB and in those who delivered at term.
METHODS
Vaginal fluid samples from 52 pregnant women (of whom 18 underwent PTB and 34 delivered at term) were collected between 10 and 32 weeks of gestation in a case-control study. Concentrations of 33 immune mediators were determined using sensitive and specific immunoassays. The previously published 16S rRNA gene sequence and bacterial phylotype data of these subjects were utilized in this study. Linear mixed effects models were utilized to test associations between vaginal immune mediator concentrations and bacterial phylotype relative abundances.
RESULTS
1) In the overall study population, vaginal concentrations of CXCL10, CCL2, CCL3, SLP1 and VEGF negatively correlated with non-Lactobacillus, Community State Type IV (CST IV) members of the vaginal microbiome; 2) CXCL10, in particular, negatively correlated with 15 bacterial phylotypes, most of which are typical members of CST IV, such as Gardnerella vaginalis, Megasphaera spp., and Atopobium vaginae; 3) Gemella spp., also members of CST IV, negatively correlated with vaginal concentrations of VEGF, CCL2, CCL3, SLPI, and CXCL10; 4) when comparing PTB cases to term controls, five soluble immune mediators (CCL26, CCL22, CCL2, CXCL10, and IL-16), especially CCL26, were negatively correlated with five typical members of CST IV: Sneathia sanguinegens, Parvimonas micra, Veillonellaceae, BVAB2, and Gemella spp.; and 5) Sneathia sanguinegens had stronger negative associations with all five soluble immune mediators (CCL26, CCL22, CCL2, CXCL10, and IL-16) in PTB cases than in term controls.
CONCLUSIONS
The assessment of vaginal host immune-microbiome interactions revealed that specific soluble immune mediators, mainly CXCL10, negatively correlated with typical members of CST IV of the vaginal microbiome. Sneathia sanguinegens, in particular, had stronger negative associations with different immune mediators, including CXCL10 and CCL26, in women who ultimately underwent PTB compared to those who delivered at term. These findings provide insight into the vaginal host immune-microbiome interactions in normal and complicated pregnancies.
Topics: Adult; Black or African American; Bacteria; Case-Control Studies; Chemokine CCL26; Chemokine CXCL10; Cohort Studies; Cytokines; Female; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Microbiota; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Vagina; Young Adult
PubMed: 33032107
DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2020.155316 -
PeerJ 2020Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is one of the most common vaginal infections worldwide. It is associated with the presence of a dense polymicrobial biofilm on the vaginal...
BACKGROUND
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is one of the most common vaginal infections worldwide. It is associated with the presence of a dense polymicrobial biofilm on the vaginal epithelium, formed mainly by species. The biofilm also contains other anaerobic species, but little is known about their role in BV development.
AIM
To evaluate the influence of different culture media on the planktonic and biofilm growth of six cultivable anaerobes frequently associated with BV, namely sp., , , , and .
METHODS
A total of nine different culture media compositions, including commercially available and chemically defined media simulating genital tract secretions, were tested in this study. Planktonic cultures and biofilms were grown under anaerobic conditions (10% carbon dioxide, 10% helium and 80% nitrogen). Planktonic growth was assessed by optical density measurements, and biofilm formation was quantified by crystal violet staining.
RESULTS
Significant planktonic growth was observed for sp., and in New York City III broth, with or without ascorbic acid supplementation. Biofilm quantification showed high in vitro biofilm growth for sp., and in almost all culture media excluding Brucella broth. Contrary, only New York City III broth was able to promote biofilm formation for , and .
CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrate that New York City III broth relative to the other tested media is the most conducive for future studies addressing polymicrobial biofilms development as this culture medium allowed the formation of significant levels of single-species biofilms.
PubMed: 32974104
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9917 -
PloS One 2020To evaluate the changes of vaginal microbiota during cervical carcinogenesis in women with high-risk human papillomavirus infection.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the changes of vaginal microbiota during cervical carcinogenesis in women with high-risk human papillomavirus infection.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Vaginal microbiota was analyzed using next-generation sequencing in women with normal, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), or cervical cancer.
RESULTS
A marked decrease of Lactobacillus crispatus was found in the CIN/cancer groups compared with that in the normal group. The diversity of microorganisms increased in patients with CIN or cervical cancer with HPV infection. Atopobium vaginae (OR 4.33, 95% CI 1.15-16.32), Dialister invisus (OR 4.89, 95% CI 1.20-19.94), Finegoldia magna (OR 6.00, 95% CI 1.08-33.27), Gardnerella vaginalis (OR 7.43, 95% CI 1.78-31.04), Prevotella buccalis (OR 11.00, 95% CI 2.00-60.57), and Prevotella timonensis (OR 6.00, 95% CI 1.46-24.69) were significantly associated with the risk of CIN 2/3 or cervical cancer.
CONCLUSION
Women with the CIN and cervical cancer showed a high diversity in vaginal microbiota. Depletion of Lactobacillus crispatus and increased abundance of anaerobic bacteria were detected in women with cervical disease.
Topics: Bacteria; Biodiversity; Carcinogenesis; Female; Humans; Microbiota; Papillomaviridae; Papillomavirus Infections; Principal Component Analysis; Species Specificity; Vagina
PubMed: 32941440
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238705 -
International Journal of Infectious... Nov 2020To investigate symptoms of infections and their risk factors among French medical students undertaking an internship abroad.
OBJECTIVES
To investigate symptoms of infections and their risk factors among French medical students undertaking an internship abroad.
METHODS
Clinical follow up, and qPCR-based respiratory, gastrointestinal, and vaginal pathogen carriages were prospectively assessed pre-travel and post-travel, in a cohort of medical students departing from Marseille, France.
RESULTS
293 students were included. 63.5%, 35.8%, and 3.6% of students reported gastrointestinal, respiratory, and vaginal symptoms, respectively. The acquisition rate of Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and Enteropathogenic E. coli was 40.9% and 18.6%, respectively. A significant increase was observed for rhinovirus and Streptococcus pneumoniae by comparing the prevalence of pathogens in pre-travel and post-travel samples. Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae acquisition rates were 12.9% and 13.9%, respectively. Being female, primarily traveling to Vietnam, and living in basic accommodation conditions were independent risk factors for reporting respiratory symptoms. Students reporting respiratory symptoms were three times more likely to acquire S. pneumoniae. Traveling primarily to north India and Senegal were independent risk factors for diarrhea.
CONCLUSION
This study makes it possible to identify the leading infectious diseases linked to travel in a group of French medical students undertaking an internship abroad and the risk factors on which to base targeting students for reinforced pre-travel advice.
Topics: Actinobacteria; Adult; Carrier State; Diarrhea; Escherichia coli; Female; France; Humans; India; Infections; Male; Risk Factors; Senegal; Students, Medical; Travel; Vietnam; Young Adult
PubMed: 32890724
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.08.075 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2020The aetiology of bacterial vaginosis (BV) is not well-understood, and prevalence appears to be higher among women living in sub-Saharan Africa. A recent conceptual model...
The aetiology of bacterial vaginosis (BV) is not well-understood, and prevalence appears to be higher among women living in sub-Saharan Africa. A recent conceptual model implicates three main bacteria ( and ), sexual activity, sialidase activity, and biofilm formation in the pathogenesis of BV. We describe the vaginal microbiota, presence of the putative sialidase A gene of , and biofilm among 386 adolescent girls aged 17 and 18 years in a cross-sectional study in Mwanza, Tanzania around the time of expected sexual debut. Vaginal swabs were collected and tested by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for five species, , the sialidase A gene of , and by fluorescence hybridisation (FISH) for evidence of and biofilm. We conducted a risk factor analysis of and , and explored the associations between biofilm, the presence of the sialidase A gene, and non-optimal vaginal microbiota (Nugent 4-7) and were detected in 69 and 82% of girls, respectively. The prevalence of was higher than previously reported in earlier studies among East and Southern African women. were independently associated with reported penile-vaginal sex. Samples with all three BV-associated bacteria made up the highest proportion of samples with Nugent-BV compared to samples with each bacterium alone or together in pairs. Of the 238 girls with , 63% had the sialidase A gene detected, though there was no difference by reported sexual activity ( = 0.197). Of the 191 girls with results for sialidase A gene and FISH, there was strong evidence for an increased presence of sialidase A gene among those with evidence of a biofilm ( < 0.001). There was a strong association between biofilm and non-optimal microbiota (aOR67.00; 95% CI 26.72-190.53). These results support several of the steps outlined in the conceptual model, although the role of sexual activity is less clear. We recommend longitudinal studies to better understand changes in vaginal microbiota and biofilm formation around the time of sexual debut.
Topics: Actinobacteria; Adolescent; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Microbiota; Prevotella; Sexual Behavior; Tanzania; Vagina
PubMed: 32670894
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00305 -
The New Microbiologica Jul 2020The etiological cause of bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the change of the vaginal ecosystem characterized by a decrease of lactobacilli and an increase of other germs, such...
Comparison between a novel molecular tool and conventional methods for diagnostic classification of bacterial vaginosis: is integration of the two approaches necessary for a better evaluation?
The etiological cause of bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the change of the vaginal ecosystem characterized by a decrease of lactobacilli and an increase of other germs, such as Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae. Molecular tools have revolutionized the diagnosis of these conditions. The aim of this paper was to compare results obtained from 158 vaginal swabs collected from women aged between 18 and 59 years old and subjected to microscopic evaluation (Nugent Score), culture and to the multiparametric molecular assay Vaginitis and Vaginosis Multiplex-Tandem (MT) PCR (AU27117) - Nuclear Laser Medicine. In 50 samples we also used matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for bacterial microbiome identification. Our results showed a moderate concordance between traditional and molecular methods for diagnosis of candidiasis and a lower concordance for BV and normal flora. MALDI TOF MS allowed us to discriminate more than 10 species of lactobacilli with a greater abundance of Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus paracasei spp. paracasei, Lactobacillus pentosus and Lactobacillus crispatus in BV and altered flora. This work underlined how the integration of different assays and metagenomics studies can greatly expand our current understanding of vaginal microbial diversity, providing more reliable diagnostic criteria for BV and its intermediate condition diagnosis.
Topics: Actinobacteria; Adolescent; Adult; Female; Gardnerella vaginalis; Humans; Lactobacillus; Middle Aged; Vagina; Vaginosis, Bacterial; Young Adult
PubMed: 32656571
DOI: No ID Found -
IDCases 2020Although bacterial vaginosis is the most common and benign vaginal infection worldwide, some cases of severe acute infections have been described in the literature. We...
Although bacterial vaginosis is the most common and benign vaginal infection worldwide, some cases of severe acute infections have been described in the literature. We report the case of a 57-year-old French female who developed a life-threatening postoperative peritonitis after a total hysterectomy with adnexectomy in the context of the removal of leiomyosarcoma. The microbiological analysis of the peritoneal fluid identified and The final diagnosis was a septic shock induced by an early onset peritonitis caused by and . The normal flora of the genital area could lead to a serious life threatening postoperative infection and should always be in the differential diagnosis.
PubMed: 32596133
DOI: 10.1016/j.idcr.2020.e00876 -
Klinicheskaia Laboratornaia Diagnostika 2020Despite the long history of the study, laboratory diagnosis of gonococcal infection remains a complex task that does not have a clearly regulated effective solution. Aim...
Despite the long history of the study, laboratory diagnosis of gonococcal infection remains a complex task that does not have a clearly regulated effective solution. Aim of investigation was to assess the species diversity of the microbiota of the genital tract of men and women with suspected acute genital gonococcal infection (AGGI) using test systems of Russian manufacturers. A study of samples of the contents of the urethra of 69 men and posterior vaginal fornix fluids of 33 women of reproductive age with characteristic clinical manifestations and a presumptive diagnosis of AGGI was made. Cultivation was carried out using elective culture media with subsequent identification of strains by biochemical properties. Detection of DNA of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., Enterobacteriaceae, Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae, Lactobacillus spp. performed by PCR using Vektor-Best and InterLab Service kits (Russia). All patients were divided into groups according to the results of the bacteriological method and PCR. A metagenomic study of 16S ribosomal RNA samples was performed on the Illumina MiSeq platform using the MiSeq Reagent Kits v3 kit (600-Cycle Kit). Statistical analysis of the data was performed using criterion x. As a result of a laboratory study, the presumptive clinical diagnosis of «AGGI» found its bacteriological confirmation in 35.3% of cases only, among which fragments of the N. gonorrhoeae genome were detected in 63.9% of the samples only. Moreover, a wide variety of microorganisms in the genital tract of both men and women was found in metagenomic analysis. However, this technique does not allow us to assess the viability of the detected bacteria, and the microflora spectrum is excessively wide. In addition, the high level of genetic polymorphism of different strains of N. gonorrhoeae complicates the interpretation of the results. Deciphering the composition of microbiota allows the use of InterLab Service kits. The decoding of the etiology of purulent-inflammatory processes in the genital tract, which presents serious difficulties, is greatly facilitated by the use of Russian kits for molecular genetic analysis, which, in our opinion, provide the necessary and sufficient information for practice.
Topics: Female; Humans; Inflammation; Male; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; Reproductive Tract Infections; Urethra; Vagina
PubMed: 32298551
DOI: 10.18821/0869-2084-2020-65-5-328-331 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2020Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection among women of reproductive age. A hallmark of BV is the presence of a highly structured polymicrobial...
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection among women of reproductive age. A hallmark of BV is the presence of a highly structured polymicrobial biofilm on the vaginal epithelium, presumably initiated by facultative anaerobes of the genus , which then becomes a scaffold for other species to adhere to. One of the species often found incorporated in mediated biofilms is . Interestingly, is very rarely found without the presence of . However, not much is known regarding the interactions between and species. This study assessed biological interactions between and . In our model, by using specific and Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA)-Fluorescence Hybridization (FISH) probes, we confirmed that was able to incorporate a pre-formed biofilm, accounting for up to 20% of the total number of biofilm cells. However, our findings showed that almost 92% of cells lost viability after 48 h of mono-species planktonic growth, but were able to maintain viability when co-cultured with or after pre-conditioning with cell-free supernatant of cultures. While the conditions are very different from the microenvironment, this study contributes to a better understanding of why vaginal colonization rarely occurs in the absence of . Overall, this highlights the importance of microbial interactions between BV-associated bacteria and demands more studies focused on the polymicrobial bacterial communities found in BV.
Topics: Actinobacteria; Bacteriological Techniques; Biofilms; Gardnerella vaginalis; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Microbial Interactions; Microbial Viability; Species Specificity
PubMed: 32195197
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00083 -
European Journal of Clinical... Aug 2020Diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in resource-poor settings relies on semiquantitative microscopy algorithm such as the Nugent score (NS). We evaluated a...
Diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in resource-poor settings relies on semiquantitative microscopy algorithm such as the Nugent score (NS). We evaluated a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay to detect and quantify individual BV-associated bacterial communities. Vaginal swabs from 247 South African women attending an STI clinic were evaluated for BV using NS. We used qPCR to analyze DNA from vaginal swabs for eight BV-associated bacteria, Gardnerella vaginalis (GV), Prevotella bivia (PB), BV-associated bacteria 2 (BVAB2), Megasphaera-1 (M-1), Atopobium vaginae (AV), Lactobacillus crispatus (LC), Lactobacillus jensenii (LJ), and Lactobacillus iners (LI). Sensitivities and specificities were generated for each qPCR assay. Using a ROC analysis, cutoffs were calculated for each bacterial species. A logistic regression model was used to determine the strongest predictors of BV status. Nugent scores indicated 35.6% of patients harbor BV-associated flora (NS 7-10). AV, GV, GAMB (GV + AV + M-1 + BVAB2), and LC + LJ showed the highest AUC, sensitivities, and specificities (listed respectively): AV (0.96; 96%; 93%), GV (0.88; 78%; 79%), GAMB (0.9; 87%; 82%), and LC + LJ (0.84; 82%; 72%) (all p < 0.05). Increased GAMB copies (effect = 0.15, p = 0.01) and decreased LC + LJ copies (effect = - 0.26, p < 0.0001) demonstrated the strongest association with higher BV scoring. Scoring of BV did not differ across our qPCR assay when compared to the commercial BD MAX® and the gold standard Nugent scores. We developed an accurate assay, which has the potential to be used as a BV diagnosis tool that is cost-effective and has the potential to be utilized in a resource limited setting.
Topics: Actinobacteria; Adult; Area Under Curve; DNA, Bacterial; Female; Gardnerella vaginalis; Humans; Lactobacillus; Predictive Value of Tests; Prevotella; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Specimen Handling; Vaginosis, Bacterial; Young Adult
PubMed: 32193689
DOI: 10.1007/s10096-020-03862-3