Abstract
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) has been considered as dysbiosis state whose etiology is not fully understood. This condition affects a large number of women of reproductive age and its study has been highly relevant due to the growing association of BV with and gynecological and obstetric complications and diseases, in addition to a greater susceptibility to sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. The vaginal microbiota composition presents high variability among different ethnic groups of women, although, generally, the prevalence of lactobacilli species has been reported. Several studies suggest they may play a protective role, especially Lactobacillus crispatus whose population is typically present in low proportions in women with BV. This review article describes the contributions and limitations of genomic approaches in elucidating protective characteristics and mechanisms associated with colonization and persistence of lactobacilli strains. Although some genetic features were associated with resilience of L. crispatus during BV, furher studies are required to uncover their functions.
Highlights
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) has been considered as dysbiosis state whose etiology is not fully understood
The use of comparative genomic methods may offer a good alternative to perform massive characterization of phage genes found in several strains from Lactobacillus-dominated versus BV-associated bacterial communities to investigate their role in the maintenance or development of BV
A comparison of isolates from feces and vagina found a higher abundance of genes that could confer adaptations for vaginal colonization such as those related to acidic and oxidative stress, pullulanase genes for glycogen breakdown, and enzymes involved in improving competitive advantage by destroying the cell wall of pathogenic bacteria (Zhang et al 2020)
Summary
The vagina microbiota is characterized by several bacterial species that colonize its mucosal surfaces. Some authors suggest that vaginal commensal species might be replaced by bacteria from the perianal skin and fecal communities (Vahidnia et al 2015) This group might include Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae, Prevotella sp, Mycoplasma hominis, Leptotrichia amnionii, Sneathia sanguinegens and other novel taxa belonging to Clostridiales order such as bacterial vaginosisassociated bacterium (BVAB) 1, BVAB2 and BVAB3 (Onderdonk et al 2016, Lennard et al 2017). The transition from the healthy condition of the microbiota to the ecological alteration of this environment is called dysbiosis These shifts in the microbial community have a pivotal role in the onset and maintenance of bacterial vaginosis (BV). The etiology of BV and the molecular mechanisms have not been wholly understood despite decades of research
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