-
Current Sexual Health Reports Sep 2020Focusing on studies published within the last decade, we review the literature on the seminal microbiome and male factor infertility. We highlight potential mechanisms...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Focusing on studies published within the last decade, we review the literature on the seminal microbiome and male factor infertility. We highlight potential mechanisms by which microbes may impact fertility and underscore key limitations and clinical implications of these studies.
RECENT FINDINGS
The seminal microbiome encompasses a metabolically and phylogenetically diverse group of microorganisms. was consistently associated with normal semen analysis parameters and fertility; was negatively associated with semen quality. These microbes may participate in a complex cross-talk with the host immune system, thereby modulating local and perhaps systemic inflammatory responses, impacting semen quality.
SUMMARY
Research investigating the intersection between the seminal microbiome and male fertility is still in its infancy. Recent investigations have been exclusively cross-sectional, correlational studies, limiting the clinical applicability of published research. Prospective studies with more sophisticated methodologies are necessary.
PubMed: 33746642
DOI: 10.1007/s11930-020-00273-5 -
PloS One 2021Male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) comprise a common syndrome of aging that negatively impacts quality of life. The etiology of LUTS is multifactorial, involving...
Male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) comprise a common syndrome of aging that negatively impacts quality of life. The etiology of LUTS is multifactorial, involving benign prostatic hyperplasia, smooth muscle and neurologic dysfunction, inflammation, sexually transmitted infections, fibrosis, and potentially dysbiosis, but this aspect remains poorly explored. We investigated whether the presence of infectious agents in urine might be associated with LUTS by combining next-generation DNA sequencing for virus discovery, microbiome analysis for characterization of bacterial communities, and mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. In urine from 29 LUTS cases and 9 controls from Wisconsin, we found a statistically significant association between a diagnosis of LUTS and the presence of JC virus (JCV), a common neurotropic human polyomavirus (Polyomaviridae, Betapolyomavirus) linked to severe neurologic disease in rare cases. This association (based on metagenomics) was not borne out when specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing was applied to this set of samples, likely due to the greater sensitivity of PCR. Interestingly, urine metabolomics analysis identified dysregulation of metabolites associated with key LUTS processes. Microbiome analysis found no evidence of microbial community dysbiosis in LUTS cases, but JCV-positive samples contained more Anaerococcus species, which are involved in polymicrobial infections of the urinary tract. Neither age nor body mass index were significantly associated with the presence of urinary JCV-in the initial group or in an additional, regionally distinct group. These data provide preliminary support the hypothesis that viruses such as JCV may play a role in the development or progression of LUTS, together with other infectious agents and host metabolic responses.
Topics: Aged; Case-Control Studies; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Humans; JC Virus; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms; Male; Metabolomics; Middle Aged; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Polyomavirus Infections; Tandem Mass Spectrometry
PubMed: 33630889
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246266 -
World Journal of Clinical Cases Feb 2021Haematogenous osteomyelitis is an extremely rare disease occurring in adults, especially in developed countries. It is clearly a systemic infection, because bacteraemia...
BACKGROUND
Haematogenous osteomyelitis is an extremely rare disease occurring in adults, especially in developed countries. It is clearly a systemic infection, because bacteraemia spreads over proximal and distal long bones or paravertebral plexuses, resulting in acute or chronic bone infection and destruction.
CASE SUMMARY
A 46-year-old Caucasian male was complaining of a left thigh pain. It is known from the anamnesis that the patient developed severe pneumonia three months ago before the onset of these symptoms. The patient was diagnosed with haematogenous osteomyelitis, which developed a turbulent course and required complex combination therapy. The primary pathogen is thought to be , which caused pneumonia before the onset of signs of osteomyelitis. Unfortunately, due to the complexity of identifying anaerobes and contributing nosocomial infections, the primary pathogen was not extracted immediately. After the manifestation of this disease, pathological fractures occurred in both femurs, as well as purulent processes in the lungs and molars accompanied. The patient received broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy and countless amounts of orthopaedic and reconstructive surgeries, but no positive effect was observed. The patient underwent osteosynthesis using an Ilizarov's external fixation apparatus, re-fixations, external AO, debridements, intrame-dullary osteosynthesis with a silver-coated intramedullary nail, abscessotomies. The right femur healed completely after the pathological fracture and osteomyelitis did not recur. Left femur could not be saved due to non-healing, knee contracture and bone destruction. After almost three years of struggle, it was decided to amputate the left limb, after which the signs of osteomyelitis no longer appeared.
CONCLUSION
To sum it all up, complicated or chronic osteomyelitis requires surgery to remove the infected tissue and bone. Osteomyelitis surgery prevents the infection from spreading further or getting even worse up to such condition that amputation is the only option left.
PubMed: 33585629
DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i4.830 -
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical... Apr 2021Little is known about the relationships between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the respiratory virus responsible for the ongoing...
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the relationships between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the respiratory virus responsible for the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and the upper respiratory tract (URT) microbiome.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to compare the URT microbiome between SARS-CoV-2-infected and -uninfected adults and to examine the association of SARS-CoV-2 viral load with the URT microbiome during COVID-19.
METHODS
We characterized the URT microbiome using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing in 59 adults (38 with confirmed, symptomatic, mild to moderate COVID-19 and 21 asymptomatic, uninfected controls). In those with COVID-19, we measured SARS-CoV-2 viral load using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. We then examined the association of SARS-CoV-2 infection status and its viral load with the ⍺-diversity, β-diversity, and abundance of bacterial taxa of the URT microbiome. Our main models were all adjusted for age and sex.
RESULTS
The observed species index was significantly higher in SARS-CoV-2-infected than in -uninfected adults (β linear regression coefficient = 7.53; 95% CI, 0.17-14.89; P = .045). In differential abundance testing, 9 amplicon sequence variants were significantly different in both of our comparisons, with Peptoniphilus lacrimalis, Campylobacter hominis, Prevotella 9 copri, and an Anaerococcus unclassified amplicon sequence variant being more abundant in those with SARS-CoV-2 infection and in those with high viral load during COVID-19, whereas Corynebacterium unclassified, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Prevotella disiens, and 2 Corynebacterium_1 unclassified amplicon sequence variants were more abundant in those without SARS-CoV-2 infection and in those with low viral load during COVID-19.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest complex associations between SARS-CoV-2 and the URT microbiome in adults. Future studies are needed to examine how these viral-bacterial interactions can impact the clinical progression, severity, and recovery of COVID-19.
Topics: Adult; Biodiversity; COVID-19; Case-Control Studies; Female; Host Microbial Interactions; Humans; Male; Microbiota; Middle Aged; Pandemics; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Respiratory System; SARS-CoV-2; Species Specificity; Viral Load
PubMed: 33577896
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2021.02.001 -
European Urology Jun 2021Little is known about the role of the genitourinary and gastrointestinal microbiota in the pathogenesis of male infertility.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the role of the genitourinary and gastrointestinal microbiota in the pathogenesis of male infertility.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the taxonomic and functional profiles of the gut, semen, and urine microbiomes of infertile and fertile men.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
We prospectively enrolled 25 men with primary idiopathic infertility and 12 healthy men with proven paternity, and we collected rectal swabs, semen samples, midstream urine specimens, and experimental controls.
OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
We performed comprehensive semen analysis, 16S rRNA sequencing for quantitative high-resolution taxonomy, and shotgun metagenomics with a median of 140 million reads per sample for functional metabolic pathway profiling.
RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS
We identified a diverse semen microbiome with modest similarity to the urinary microbiome. Infertile men harbored increased seminal α-diversity and distinct β-diversity, increased seminal Aerococcus, and decreased rectal Anaerococcus. Prevotella abundance was inversely associated with sperm concentration, and Pseudomonas was directly associated with total motile sperm count. Vasectomy appeared to alter the seminal microbiome, suggesting a testicular or epididymal contribution. Anaerobes were highly over-represented in the semen of infertile men with a varicocele, but oxidative stress and leukocytospermia were associated with only subtle differences. Metagenomics data identified significant alterations in the S-adenosyl-L-methionine cycle, which may play a multifaceted role in the pathogenesis of infertility via DNA methylation, oxidative stress, and/or polyamine synthesis.
CONCLUSIONS
This pilot study represents the first comprehensive investigation into the microbiome in male infertility. These findings provide the foundation for future investigations to explore causality and identify novel microbiome-based diagnostics and therapeutics for men with this complex and emotionally devastating disease.
PATIENT SUMMARY
We explored the resident populations of bacteria living in the gut, semen, and urine of infertile and fertile men. We found several important bacterial and metabolic pathway differences with the potential to aid in diagnosing and treating male infertility in the future.
Topics: Dysbiosis; Humans; Infertility, Male; Male; Microbiota; Pilot Projects; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Semen; Sperm Motility
PubMed: 33573862
DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2021.01.014 -
Scientific Reports Jan 2021To date there are thirteen species validly assigned to the genus Anaerococcus. Most of the species in this genus are anaerobic and of human origin. Anaerococcus...
To date there are thirteen species validly assigned to the genus Anaerococcus. Most of the species in this genus are anaerobic and of human origin. Anaerococcus urinimassiliensis sp. nov., strain Marseille-P2143 is member of family Peptoniphilaceae, which was isolated from the urine of a 17-year-old boy affected by autoimmune hepatitis and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis using the culturomic approach. In the current study, a taxono-genomics method was employed to describe this new species. The strain Marseille-P2143 was gram positive cocci with translucent colonies on blood agar. Its genome was 2,189,509 bp long with a 33.5 mol% G + C content and exhibited 98.48% 16S rRNA similarity with Anaerococcus provencensis strain 9,402,080. When Anaerococcus urinomassiliensis strain Marseill-P2143 is compared with closely related species, the values ranged from 71.23% with A. hydrogenalis strain DSM 7454 (NZ_ABXA01000052.1) to 90.64% with A. provencensis strain 9402080 (NZ_HG003688.1). This strain has implemented the repertoire of known bacteria of the human urinary tract.
Topics: Adolescent; Firmicutes; Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative; Hepatitis, Autoimmune; Humans; Male; Urine
PubMed: 33514860
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82420-z -
Frontiers in Public Health 2020Persistent infection with the carcinogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) is a prerequisite for the progression of cervical lesions and cancer. A growing body of research...
Persistent infection with the carcinogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) is a prerequisite for the progression of cervical lesions and cancer. A growing body of research has focused on the functional role of the vaginal microbiota in the persistence of HPV infection. Understanding the microbial composition and structure in women with high-risk (hr)-HPV infection may help reveal associations between the vaginal microbiota and HPV infection, and identify potential biomarkers. Our study investigated the vaginal microbial community in women with and without hr-HPV infection, by using rRNA gene sequencing. We found that microbial perturbations occurred in the early phase of hr-HPV infection. and were decreased, while bacteria related to bacterial vaginosis (BV), such as , and were increased. Our results could offer insights into the correlations between hr-HPV and the vaginal microbiota in the early infection period, and provide indications that the predominance of some BV-associated bacteria during hr-HPV infection may increase the risk for cervical neoplasia.
Topics: Female; Humans; Microbiota; Papillomaviridae; Papillomavirus Infections; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Vagina
PubMed: 33490017
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.587298 -
Microorganisms Jan 2021Malnutrition has been associated with the gut microbiota composition and the gastrointestinal environment. This study aimed to evaluate whether there is a difference in...
Malnutrition has been associated with the gut microbiota composition and the gastrointestinal environment. This study aimed to evaluate whether there is a difference in the gut microbiota profile between the normal and undernutrition (considered moderate malnutrition) children and evaluate the gastrointestinal environment observed from the short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) profile. Ten days' observations were done between normal (:13) and undernutrition (:15) children. The subject's diet was recorded using a food record. Analysis of the gut microbiota was performed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing targeting the V3-V4 variables region, while the SCFA profile was analyzed using gas chromatography. The result shows that the undernutrition group's energy intake was lower than in the normal group. Although there was no difference in diversity index and overall gut composition, overexpression of the genera , , , and was observed in the undernutrition group. Meanwhile, in the normal group, and were found. In both groups, there was also the dominant of enterotype. Gastrointestinal conditions in the normal group tended to be more acidic compared to the undernutrition group. It occurs due to the high concentration of propionate and butyric acids.
PubMed: 33430510
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010127 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2020Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a chronic and progressive condition with a series of vulvovaginal, sexual, and lower urinary tract discomforts, mainly due...
Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a chronic and progressive condition with a series of vulvovaginal, sexual, and lower urinary tract discomforts, mainly due to hypoestrogenism. Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) has generally been considered as the most effective treatment for GSM. In addition, vaginal microbiota is of particular significance to gynecological and reproductive illnesses and potentially has some intimate connections with GSM. Consequently, we sought to evaluate how MHT impacts the composition and structure of vaginal microbiota while alleviating GSM in Chinese menopausal women aged 45-65 years, which has not been investigated previously. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed to analyze microbial diversity and composition using vaginal swabs obtained from 100 menopausal women, classified as MHT women who have been taking tibolone regularly ( = 50) and non-treated women who never received any treatment ( = 50). Vaginal Health Index Score (VHIS) and GSM symptoms inquiry were also performed. We found that the vaginal microbial diversity decreased and that the abundance of increased to be the dominant proportion significantly in the MHT group, in considerable contrast to vaginal microbiota of the non-treated group, which significantly comprised several anaerobic bacteria, namely, , , , , , , , and . In this study, women without any MHT had significantly more severe GSM symptoms than those receiving tibolone, especially with regard to vulvovaginal dryness and burning, as well as decreased libido ( < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in the severity of urological symptoms between the groups ( > 0.05). Furthermore, was demonstrated to be associated with VHIS positively ( = 0.626, < 0.001) and with GSM negatively ( = -0.347, < 0.001). We also identified ( = 0.277, < 0.01) and ( = 0.270, < 0.01) as having a prominent association with more serious GSM symptoms. Our study provided an elucidation that MHT could notably alleviate GSM and conspicuously reshape the composition of the vaginal microbiota, which is of extreme importance to clinical practice for the management of GSM.
PubMed: 33329470
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.590877 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2020Intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the health of animals. However, little is known about the gut microbiota in Ningxiang pigs. Thus, we investigated how...
Intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the health of animals. However, little is known about the gut microbiota in Ningxiang pigs. Thus, we investigated how dietary supplementation with different ε-polylysine concentrations (0, 20, 40, 80, and 160 ppm) affected the ileal microbiota in Ningxiang pigs using a replicated 5 × 5 Latin square method. Each experimental period included 10 days for diet adaptation, 3 days for feces collection and 2 days for digesta collection. The ileal contents were collected and used for sequencing of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. The results revealed that ε-polylysine significantly decreased the digestibility of crude protein and crude fiber, as well as the utilization of metabolizable energy ( < 0.05). The relative abundances of 19 bacterial genera significantly increased, while those of 26 genera significantly decreased ( < 0.05). In addition, ε-polylysine increased the abundance of some bacteria (e.g., , , and lactic acid bacteria) and inhibited some other bacteria (e.g., , , , , , , , and ). Furthermore, based on the 16S rRNA gene data and data from the precalculated GreenGenes database, bacterial communities in the ileal contents exhibited enhanced functional maturation, including changes in the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids (e.g., alanine, lysine, tryptophan, cysteine, and methionine), cofactors, and vitamins (e.g., biotin, thiamine, and folate), as well as in the activity of the insulin signaling pathway. This study suggests that ε-polylysine may influence the utilization of feed nutrients by Ningxiang pigs, including proteins, lipids, metabolizable energy, and fiber, by regulating the gut microbiota.
PubMed: 33312165
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.544097