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Association between cigarette smoking and the vaginal microbiota: a pilot study
Rebecca M Brotman1, Xin He, Pawel Gajer
1Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. rbrotman@som.umaryland.edu.
BMC Infectious Diseases
|August 30, 2014
Summary
Smoking significantly alters vaginal microbiota, reducing beneficial Lactobacillus species. Smoking cessation may help restore a healthy vaginal environment and reduce bacterial vaginosis (BV) risk.
Area of Science:
- Gynecology
- Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Smoking is a known risk factor for bacterial vaginosis (BV).
- Smoking's anti-estrogenic effects and benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE) may disrupt vaginal microbiota.
- BPDE can increase bacteriophage induction in Lactobacillus spp.
Purpose of the Study:
- Compare vaginal microbiota in smokers versus non-smokers.
- Investigate microbiota changes during a smoking cessation program.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study (Phase A) and 12-week pilot smoking cessation program (Phase B).
- Vaginal swabs analyzed using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing.
- Saliva cotinine and CO exhalation measured to assess smoking status.
Main Results:
- Smokers showed a trend towards higher Nugent scores (indicating BV).
- A distinct bacterial community state (CST-IV) lacking Lactobacillus was more prevalent in smokers (25-fold increased odds).
- One participant in the cessation program switched from CST-IV to a Lactobacillus-dominant state after nicotine patch use.
Conclusions:
- Smokers exhibit lower vaginal Lactobacillus spp. proportions compared to non-smokers.
- Smoking cessation interventions warrant investigation for recurrent BV management.
- Larger studies are required to validate these findings.
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