title: Vaginal Dysbiosis from an Evolutionary Perspective.
abstract: Evolutionary approaches are powerful tools for understanding human disorders. The composition of vaginal microbiome is important for reproductive success and has not yet been characterized in the contexts of social structure and vaginal pathology in non-human primates (NHPs). We investigated vaginal size, vulvovaginal pathology and the presence of the main human subtypes of Lactobacillus spp./ BV-related species in the vaginal microflora of baboons (Papio spp.). We performed morphometric measurements of external and internal genitalia (group I, n = 47), analyzed pathology records of animals from 1999-2015 (group II, n = 64 from a total of 12,776), and evaluated vaginal swabs using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (group III, n = 14). A total of 68 lesions were identified in 64 baboons. Lactobacillus iners, Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae, Megasphaera I, and Megasphaera II were not detected. L. jensenii, L. crispatus, and L. gasseri were detected in 2/14 (14.2%), 1/14 (7.1%), and 1/14 (7.1%) samples, respectively. BVAB2 was detected in 5/14 (35.7%) samples. The differences in the vaginal milieu between NHP and humans might be the factor associated with human-specific pattern of placental development and should be taken in consideration in NHP models of human pharmacology and microbiology.
authors.affiliation: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at the Permian Basin, Odessa, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schlabritz-Loutsevitch
authors.affiliation: Femeris Women's Health Research Center, Genesis Biotechnology Group - Hamilton, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Scott E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Gygax
authors.affiliation: Southwest National Primate Research Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dick
authors.affiliation: Femeris Women's Health Research Center, Genesis Biotechnology Group - Hamilton, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: William L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Southwest National Primate Research Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Snider
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Gene
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hubbard
authors.affiliation: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at the Permian Basin, Odessa, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ventolini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D064806:Dysbiosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D064307:Microbiota; D009929:Organ Size; D010215:Papio / Q000382:microbiology*; D018419:Primate Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013045:Species Specificity; D014621:Vagina / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000382:microbiology*; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D014844:Vulva / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000382:microbiology; D014845:Vulvar Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology