Microbiome in Male Genital Mucosa (Prepuce, Glans, and Coronal Sulcus): A Systematic Review

Abstract

The human body represents a complex and diverse reservoir of microorganisms. Although the human microbiome remains poorly characterized and understood, it should not be underestimated, since recent studies have highlighted its importance in health. This is especially evident when considering microbiota in the male reproductive system, responsible for men’s fertility and sexual behavior. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to provide an overview of the microbial communities of the healthy male genital mucosa and its role in disease. This study was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The search was limited to the English language and studies published until August 2022 that included culture-independent techniques for microbiome characterization in male genital mucosa. Ten articles were included. The bacterial composition of the male genital mucosa consists of several genera including Prevotella, Finegoldia, Peptoniphilus, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, and Anaerococcus, suggesting that the male genital microbiome composition shows similarities with the adjacent anatomical sites and is related with sexual intercourse. Moreover, male circumcision appears to influence the penile microbiome. Despite the lack of knowledge on the male genital mucosa microbiome in disease, it was reported that Staphylococcus warneri and Prevotella bivia were associated with balanoposthitis, whereas Enterobacteriaceae, Prevotella, and Fusobacterium were more abundant in male genital lichen sclerosus. The limited data and paucity of prospective controlled studies highlight the need for additional studies and established criteria for sampling methods and the microbiome assay procedure. Such a consensus would foster the knowledge about the composition of the genital microbiome of healthy males and its role in disease.

Penile microbiome: decoding its impact on HIV risk

“…The variation in microbiome across genital sites suggests the importance of epithelia and anatomic structures that produce distinctive oxygenation and moisture levels and secretions in each site [19,22,[25][26][27]. Specifically, the male genitalia comprise two main types of epithelia: nonkeratinized epithelium found in the urethra, and keratinized epithelia comprising the glans, shaft, coronal sulcus, and inner and outer foreskin [25,26].…”

Human Male Genital Tract Microbiota

“…Penile skin microbiota has been analysed on several occasions [ 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 ] ( Table 2 ). The results showed similar colonisation patterns, dominated by Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus genera, which are typical commensals of the skin microbiota [ 50 , 51 ]. Different microbiota studies have focused on the foreskin mucosa and penis glans, which are the entry sites of sexually transmitted viral diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus or human papillomavirus [ 12 ].…”

Ejaculatory Abstinence Affects the Sperm Quality in Normozoospermic Men—How Does the Seminal Bacteriome Respond?

“…Other frequently occurring genera in the male urinary microbiome include coagulase-negative staphylococci and Eubacterium [ 28 ]. Moreover, bacteria found in semen may also stem from the male genital mucosa which has been previously reported to host Finegoldia , Staphylococcus , Prevotella , Corynebacterium , Anaerococcus , or Peptoniphilus [ 29 ].…”