PRJNA388054
HPV – Chlamydia trachomatis in asymptomatic women: metagenomic analysis of cervical microbiota
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Chlamydia trachomatis are the most common causes of sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. In both cases, most infections are asymptomatic, and, hence, untreated, leading to severe reproductive tract sequelae, like spontaneous preterm labor and abortion, pelvic inflammatory disease and cervical cancer. Interestingly, C. trachomatis may also increase the susceptibility to or decrease the efficient clearance of HPV infection, contributing to viral persistence. Recently, a growing body of evidence suggested that the cervico-vaginal microbiota plays a key role in the susceptibility and outcomes of genital infections. Among the several microorganisms harbouring the cervico-vaginal microenviroment, lactobacilli are widely known for their protective effects against HPV and C. trachomatis. However, the cervico-vaginal microbiota is highly complex and other bacterial species, including, for example, Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae and Prevotella spp., may favour the development of HPV and/or C. trachomatis genital infections. Therefore, the aim of our study was to characterize, through the metagenomic analysis of sequenced 16s rRNA gene amplicons, the cervical microbiota from asymptomatic reproductive-age women with HPV/C. trachomatis co-infection. Moreover, we also evaluated the differences of the cervical microbiota from co-infected women with HPV-positive or C. trachomatis-positive women.