A Brief Introduction to the Vaginal Microbiome
Almost every part of the human body has its own microbiome, a population of microorganisms that exist in that environment and interact with their human host (1). Microbiomes vary in the number and types of microorganisms that are present, and can include bacteria, fungi, viruses and other single-celled or microscopic organisms.
Microbiomes are closely linked to human health (2,3). The composition of a ‘healthy’ microbiome might be quite different between two people and will naturally change over time, but in general healthy microbiomes work in harmony with the body and help to keep out pathogenic microorganisms that could cause disease. An ‘unhealthy’ microbiome could contain pathogenic species, or a pattern of species that increases the risk of a disease, or potentially reflect changes in the human host that are caused by a disease (3).
The vaginal microbiome has been linked to some very important health outcomes, including the risk of developing bacterial vaginosis or thrush, issues with fertility, pregnancy complications, and problems around menopause, but there is still much that is not well understood (3–5). Fortunately, there is active microbiome research taking place across the world which aims to improve both vaginal health and overall health. As study's in the field progress, we will be able to understand when interventions (such as antibiotics or probiotics) are necessary, with recommendations tailored to each unique individual.
A healthy vaginal microbiome is usually defined as being dominated by a type of bacterium called Lactobacillus (5). These bacteria create acidic (low pH) conditions that help to prevent the growth of undesirable microorganisms that could for example cause vaginosis or thrush. Vaginal microbiomes that are associated with health problems are characterised by the presence of specific species that are associated with a disease. For example, Candida fungi is commonly known to cause thrush and Gardnerella causes bacterial vaginosis.?A higher overall diversity of species often means that Lactobacillus species is not dominant.
At Salient Bio we are actively studying the vaginal microbiome to support medical professionals and researchers, give women important and accurate insights into their health, and allow them to take control of their healthcare. With a range of capabilities for studying the microbiome, from qPCR to shotgun sequencing, we can provide low-cost or high-resolution testing depending on the individual needs of the client. Contact us to find out more on [email protected] .
Robert Bradley - Scientific Lead
References:
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1.????????Marchesi JR, Ravel J. The vocabulary of microbiome research: a proposal. Microbiome. 2015 Jul 30;3(1):31.
2.????????Mohajeri MH, Brummer RJM, Rastall RA, Weersma RK, Harmsen HJM, Faas M, et al. The role of the microbiome for human health: from basic science to clinical applications. Eur J Nutr. 2018 May 1;57(1):1–14.
3.????????Krog MC, Hugerth LW, Fransson E, Bashir Z, Nyboe Andersen A, Edfeldt G, et al. The healthy female microbiome across body sites: effect of hormonal contraceptives and the menstrual cycle. Hum Reprod. 2022 Jul 1;37(7):1525–43.
4.????????Gudnadottir U, Debelius JW, Du J, Hugerth LW, Danielsson H, Schuppe-Koistinen I, et al. The vaginal microbiome and the risk of preterm birth: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2022 May 13;12(1):7926.
5.????????Saraf VS, Sheikh SA, Ahmad A, Gillevet PM, Bokhari H, Javed S. Vaginal microbiome: normalcy vs dysbiosis. Arch Microbiol. 2021 Sep 1;203(7):3793–802.