The vaginal microbiome, vaginal anti‐microbial defence mechanisms and the clinical challenge of reducing infection‐related preterm birth

Witkin, SS

doi:10.1111/1471-0528.13115

Cited by 139 publications

(123 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Ascending colonization from the vagina has been alternatively hypothesized as a potential origin largely in part due to its anatomical proximity to the intrauterine environment and its association with preterm birth. 65,66 However, as aforementioned, the vagina tends to predominately be populated by Lactobacillus species before pregnancy, and tends to be further enriched for Lactobacilli as the pregnancy progresses. [46][47][48] Although Lactobacillus species have been detected in the placental membranes in healthy, term pregnancies by Next-Gen sequencing, 67 the overall diversity of commensal species found within the placental parenchyma, amniotic fluid and neonatal meconium suggest that the vaginal microbiome is unlikely to be the only origin for the full gamut of microbial species found within the intrauterine space.…”

Section: Impact Of Maternal Nutrition In Pregnancy On Offspring Gut Mmentioning

confidence: 97%

Impact of maternal nutrition in pregnancy and lactation on offspring gut microbial composition and function

et al. 2016

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Evidence supporting the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Hypothesis indicates that maternal nutrition in pregnancy has a significant impact on offspring disease risk later in life, likely by modulating developmental processes in utero. Gut microbiota have recently been explored as a potential mediating factor, as dietary components strongly influence microbiota abundance, function and its impact on host physiology. A growing body of evidence has additionally indicated that the intrauterine environment is not sterile as once presumed, indicating that maternal-fetal transmission of microbiota may occur during pregnancy. In this article, we will review the body of literature that supports this emerging hypothesis, as well as highlight the work in relevant animal models demonstrating associations with maternal gestational nutrition and the offspring gut microbiome that may influence offspring physiology and susceptibility to disease.

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Section: Impact Of Maternal Nutrition In Pregnancy On Offspring Gut Mmentioning

confidence: 97%

Impact of maternal nutrition in pregnancy and lactation on offspring gut microbial composition and function

et al. 2016

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“…90 When the balance among bacterial species within this environment is altered, antibacterial defense mechanisms lose their efficacy leading to pathogenic bacteria proliferation. 90 For instance, reduction in the number of vaginal lactobacilli and their antimicrobial properties (such as lysostaphin expression in order to cleave the cell wall of S. aureus thus inhibiting its growth), 91 and H 2 O 2 production, 92 cause bacterial vaginosis, the most common symptomatic microbial imbalance. 93 In patients affected by bacterial vaginosis, lactobacilli are replaced by Gardnerella vaginalis, 92 94 Candida (C.) albicans, 95 S. aureus, 91 96 Neisseria gonorrhoeae 40 or other anaerobic bacteria.…”

Section: Vaginal Colonisationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanisms and therapeutic effectiveness of lactobacilli

et al. 2015

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The gut microbiome is not a silent ecosystem but exerts several physiological and immunological functions. For many decades, lactobacilli have been used as an effective therapy for treatment of several pathological conditions displaying an overall positive safety profile. This review summarises the mechanisms and clinical evidence supporting therapeutic efficacy of lactobacilli. We searched Pubmed/Medline using the keyword ‘Lactobacillus’. Selected papers from 1950 to 2015 were chosen on the basis of their content. Relevant clinical and experimental articles using lactobacilli as therapeutic agents have been included. Applications of lactobacilli include kidney support for renal insufficiency, pancreas health, management of metabolic imbalance, and cancer treatment and prevention. In vitro and in vivo investigations have shown that prolonged lactobacilli administration induces qualitative and quantitative modifications in the human gastrointestinal microbial ecosystem with encouraging perspectives in counteracting pathology-associated physiological and immunological changes. Few studies have highlighted the risk of translocation with subsequent sepsis and bacteraemia following probiotic administration but there is still a lack of investigations on the dose effect of these compounds. Great care is thus required in the choice of the proper Lactobacillus species, their genetic stability and the translocation risk, mainly related to inflammatory disease-induced gut mucosa enhanced permeability. Finally, we need to determine the adequate amount of bacteria to be delivered in order to achieve the best clinical efficacy decreasing the risk of side effects.

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“…Enterococcus, Streptococcus ) have been isolated from the placenta and amniotic cavity (DiGiulio, 2012; Solt, 2015). Vaginal microbes have also been isolated in intrauterine samples (Witkin, 2014) suggesting that organisms from the vagina may ascend into the intrauterine cavity from the vaginal canal. Further research is needed to explore a potential prenatal maternal-fetal exchange of microbes.…”

Section: Prenatal Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Maternal Infant Microbiome

Dunn

Jordan

Baker

et al. 2017

McN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing

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The human microbiome plays a role in maintaining health, but is also thought to attenuate and/or exacerbate risk factors for adverse maternal-child health outcomes. The development of the microbiome begins in utero, however factors related to the labor and birth environment have been shown to influence the initial colonization process of the newborn microbiome. This “seeding” or transfer of microbes from the mother to newborn may serve as an early inoculation process with implications for the long-term health outcomes of newborns. Studies have shown that there are distinct differences in the microbiome profiles of newborns born vaginally compared to those born by cesarean. Antibiotic exposure has been shown to alter the microbial profiles of women and may influence the gut microbial profiles of their newborns. Considering that the first major microbial colonization occurs at birth, it is essential that labor and birth nurses be aware of factors that may alter the composition of the microbiome during the labor and birth process. The implications of various activities and factors unique to the labor and birth environment that may influence the microbiome of women and newborns during the labor and birth process (e.g. route of birth, antibiotic use, nursing procedures) are presented with a focus on the role of labor nurses and the potential influence of nursing activities on this process.

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The vaginal microbiome, vaginal anti‐microbial defence mechanisms and the clinical challenge of reducing infection‐related preterm birth

Cited by 139 publications

References 48 publications

Impact of maternal nutrition in pregnancy and lactation on offspring gut microbial composition and function

Impact of maternal nutrition in pregnancy and lactation on offspring gut microbial composition and function

Mechanisms and therapeutic effectiveness of lactobacilli

The Maternal Infant Microbiome

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