Abstract
BackgroundThe epidemiology of bacterial vaginosis (BV) suggests it is sexually transmissible, yet no transmissible agent has been identified. It is probable that BV-associated bacterial communities are transferred from male to female partners during intercourse; however, the microbiota of sexual partners has not been well-studied.ResultsPyrosequencing analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA was used to examine BV-associated bacteria in monogamous couples with and without BV using vaginal, male urethral, and penile skin specimens. The penile skin and urethral microbiota of male partners of women with BV was significantly more similar to the vaginal microbiota of their female partner compared to the vaginal microbiota of non-partner women with BV. This was not the case for male partners of women with normal vaginal microbiota. Specific BV-associated species were concordant in women with BV and their male partners.ConclusionsIn monogamous heterosexual couples in which the woman has BV, the significantly higher similarity between the vaginal microbiota and the penile skin and urethral microbiota of the male partner, supports the hypothesis that sexual exchange of BV-associated bacterial taxa is common.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40168-016-0161-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
The epidemiology of bacterial vaginosis (BV) suggests it is sexually transmissible, yet no transmissible agent has been identified
A notable outcome of our study, that is consistent with sexual exchange of BV-associated taxa, is that the penile skin microbiota of male partners of women with BV were more similar to the vaginal microbiota of their sexual partner compared to non-partner women who had BV (Fig. 1)
In summary, we found that the penile skin of male partners of women with BV is colonized by many of the same bacterial taxa that are strongly associated with BV
Summary
The epidemiology of bacterial vaginosis (BV) suggests it is sexually transmissible, yet no transmissible agent has been identified. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a leading cause of vaginal infection [1] and the condition is associated with serious sequelae including increased risk of HIV transmission [2,3,4], adverse pregnancy outcomes [5,6,7], and acquisition of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) [8]. BV is characterized by a decrease in the abundance of vaginal Lactobacillus species, which are Despite decades of study and considerable evidence suggesting that BV may be sexually transmitted, this hypothesis has not been accepted universally [22,23,24,25]. The most direct evidence for sexual transmission comes from a study of healthy women who developed BV after being inoculated with vaginal secretions from women with BV [26]. Studies of lesbian women suggest that exchange of vaginal secretions during sexual encounters
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
