Vaginal and gut microbiome

The vaginal and gut microbiomes are complex ecological communities of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that reside in the human body and maintain a symbiotic relationship with the host. The gut microbiome is essential for metabolic processes, such as the fermentation of non-digestible carbohydrates into short-chain fatty acids, and plays a pivotal role in the development and regulation of the mucosal immune system (Lynch & Pedersen, 2016, NEJM). In contrast, a healthy vaginal microbiome is typically characterized by low diversity and a predominance of Lactobacillus species, which produce lactic acid to maintain a low pH and inhibit the growth of pathogens (Ravel et al., 2011, PNAS). Dysbiosis in these environments is associated with numerous pathologies, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), metabolic syndrome, bacterial vaginosis, and increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections (NIH Human Microbiome Project). Therapeutic interventions targeting these microbiomes, such as probiotics, prebiotics, and live biotherapeutic products like SER-109 or Lactin-V, aim to restore microbial homeostasis and host-microbe interactions to treat or prevent disease (Cohen et al., 2020, NEJM).

Other names

Human microbiotaCommensal floraVaginal floraIntestinal microbiotaMicrobiome

Restoration of microbial homeostasis, competitive inhibition of pathogens, production of antimicrobial metabolites, and modulation of host metabolic and immune pathways.