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The Female Urogynecological Microbiome: Determining Niche Specificity, Krystal Thomas-White
The Female Urogynecological Microbiome: Determining Niche Specificity, Krystal Thomas-White
Dissertations
Contrary to dogma, urine is not sterile. Recent discoveries show that the female urinary bladder contains a unique microbiome,with differences in healthy and disease states. This female urinary microbiome (FUM) is distinguishable from vulvo-vaginal contamination; yet, only the few centimeters of the urethra separate these two niches. Recent studies show that the most common bladder organisms are Lactobacillus, Gardnerella, Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, and a diverse group of anaerobes, the same genera commonly found in the vagina. Thus, we asked if the bladder and vaginal microbiomes are interconnected.
Previous work suggests a link between these two niches. The vaginal tract of reproductive …