A Perspective of the Urinary Microbiome in Lower Urinary Tract Infections — A Review

AbstractPurpose of ReviewGreater availability of sequencing methods has broadened the knowledge of the urinary microbiome in an environment previously believed to be sterile. This review discusses internal and external influences that promote either a balance or a dysbiosis of the urinary tract and the future perspectives in understanding lower urinary tract infections.Recent FindingsEfforts have been made to identify a “core” urinary microbiome in whichFirmicutes andBacteroidetes account for most of the bacterial representations. A shift to a Proteobacteria-dominant representation shapes the fingerprint of the infectious urinary microbiome; furthermore, the virome and the mycobiome are important modulators of the urinary microbiome, which have been recently explored to determine their role in the health-disease process of the lower urinary tract.SummaryA disturbance of bacterial representation and diversity triggers a transition from health to disease; conversely, a functional cooperative interplay between the host and microbiome allows for basic metabolic and immune functions to take place.
Source: Current Urology Reports - Category: Urology & Nephrology Source Type: research