Abstract
BackgroundThe prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and vaginal microbiota types varies dramatically between different populations around the world. Understanding what underpins these differences is important, as high-diversity microbiotas associated with BV are implicated in adverse pregnancy outcomes and enhanced susceptibility to and transmission of sexually transmitted infections.Main textWe hypothesize that these variations in the vaginal microbiota can, in part, be explained by variations in the connectivity of sexual networks. We argue: 1) Couple-level data suggest that BV-associated bacteria can be sexually transmitted and hence high sexual network connectivity would be expected to promote the spread of BV-associated bacteria. Epidemiological studies have found positive associations between indicators of network connectivity and the prevalence of BV; 2) The relationship between BV prevalence and STI incidence/prevalence can be parsimoniously explained by differential network connectivity; 3) Studies from other mammals are generally supportive of the association between network connectivity and high-diversity vaginal microbiota.ConclusionTo test this hypothesis, we propose a combination of empirical and simulation-based study designs.
Highlights
We hypothesize that these variations in the vaginal microbiota can, in part, be explained by variations in the connectivity of sexual networks
The most commonly referenced typing system is that developed by Ravel et al in 2011 [4]. This schema describes 5 Community State Type (CST) of which four CSTs were respectively dominated by 4 different Lactobacillus species – L. crispatus, L gasseri, L. iners and L. jensenii (Fig. 1)
The fifth CST was characterized by a paucity of Lactobacillus spp. and an abundance of a highly diverse polymicrobial community of facultative anaerobic bacterial vaginosis (BV)-associated
Summary
We hypothesize that these variations in the vaginal microbiota can, in part, be explained by variations in the connectivity of sexual networks. We argue: 1) Couple-level data suggest that BV-associated bacteria can be sexually transmitted and high sexual network connectivity would be expected to promote the spread of BVassociated bacteria. Epidemiological studies have found positive associations between indicators of network connectivity and the prevalence of BV; 2) The relationship between BV prevalence and STI incidence/prevalence can be parsimoniously explained by differential network connectivity; 3) Studies from other mammals are generally supportive of the association between network connectivity and high-diversity vaginal microbiota
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