Seminal microbiome in men with and without prostatitis.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Urology
• Genomics

Background:

• The seminal microbiome's role in male reproductive health and disease is increasingly recognized.
• Understanding the microbial composition of semen is crucial for diagnosing and treating conditions like prostatitis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the seminal microbiome in men with and without chronic prostatitis using next-generation sequencing.
• To identify differences in microbial composition associated with prostatitis.

Main Methods:

• Semen samples from 67 men (21 with prostatitis, 46 healthy) were analyzed.
• Ribosomal RNA V6 region was amplified using polymerase chain reaction with combinatorial sequence tags.
• Sequencing was performed on an Illumina HiSeq2000 platform using a paired-end protocol.

Main Results:

• Firmicutes was the most abundant phylum, followed by Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria.
• Healthy men had higher counts of lactobacilli, particularly Lactobacillus iners, compared to prostatitis patients.
• Prostatitis patients exhibited higher species richness and a greater proportion of Proteobacteria.

Conclusions:

• Chronic prostatitis is associated with a decrease in health-supporting lactobacilli and an increase in seminal microbiome diversity.
• The dominant phyla in the seminal microbiome are Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria.