A citizen-science-enabled catalogue of the vaginal microbiome and associated factors
Open accessPublished version of a preprint
Abstract
Understanding the composition and function of the vaginal microbiome is crucial for reproductive and overall health. Here we established the Isala citizen-science project to analyse the vaginal microbiomes of 3,345 women in Belgium (18–98 years) through self-sampling, 16S amplicon sequencing and extensive questionnaires. The overall vaginal microbiome composition was strongly tied to age, childbirth and menstrual cycle phase. Lactobacillus species dominated 78% of the vaginal samples. Specific bacterial taxa also showed to co-occur in modules based on network correlation analysis. Notably, the module containing Lactobacillus crispatus , Lactobacillus jensenii and Limosilactobacillus taxa was positively linked to oestrogen levels and contraceptive use and negatively linked to childbirth and breastfeeding. Other modules, named after abundant taxa ( Gardnerella , Prevotella and Bacteroides ), correlated with multiple partners, menopause, menstrual hygiene and contraceptive use. With this resource-rich vaginal microbiome map and associated health, life-course, lifestyle and dietary factors, we provide unique data and insights for follow-up clinical and mechanistic research.
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L. jensenii is present in approximately 20% of women, suggesting a larger cohort would have been necessary for its isolation.
“L. jensenii, while typical of a healthy vaginal microbiota, is present in approximately 20% of the women, suggesting that a larger cohort would have been necessary for its isolation [48, 49].”
From Women's health is a team effort: probiogenomics supports the development of a multi-species vaginal probiotic (2026) · cites this paper as [49]
The Main section identifies L. jensenii as a typical vaginal Lactobacillus species, and Results (Dominance of Lactobacillus taxa; page unavailable) reports that its group dominated 3.5% of samples. Dominance is not the same as presence: our copy does not establish the claimed approximately 20% prevalence or discuss whether a larger cohort was needed for isolation. (LLM, conf=0.82)
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References 81 · Cited by 181
Research works printed but not linked: 2
- [1]Lash AF Kaplan B A study of Döderlein’ s vaginal bacillus Oxford Univ. Press 1928 38 333 340
- [60]Aitchison, J. A concise guide to compositional data analysis. in 2nd Compositional Data Analysis Workshop (University of Girona, 2005).
- Authors
- Lebeer, S., Ahannach, S., Gehrmann, T., Wittouck, S., Eilers, T., Oerlemans, E., Condori, S., Dillen, J., Spacova, I., Vander Donck, L., Masquillier, C., Allonsius, C. N., Bron, P. A., Van Beeck, W., De Backer, C., Donders, G., & Verhoeven, V.
- Affiliations
- University of Antwerp (BE)
- Centre Hospitalier Régional de Namur (BE)
- Corresponding author
- Lebeer, Sarah
- ORCID
- Venue
- Nature Microbiology
- Published
- 2023-10-26
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 2183-2195
- ISSN
- 2058-5276 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC10627828
- OpenAlex
- W4387965335
- Cited by
- 181
- References
- 81
- Citations by year
- 2026: 60 · 2025: 66 · 2024: 45 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 4
- FWCI
- 32.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Nature Microbiology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Research Square (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Lirias (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- European Commission (852600)
- Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (G049022N, G031222N, FN 701000004, 1SD0622N, 1277222N, 11A0620N)
- KU Leuven
- Universiteit Antwerpen (DOCPRO 37054, 37054)
- Vlaamse regering
- Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen
- Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds UGent
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Reproductive tract infections research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Oral microbiology and periodontitis research
- Keywords
- vaginal microbiota, citizen science, self-sampling, Lactobacillus, Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus jensenii, Limosilactobacillus, bacterial co-occurrence networks, estrogen, contraceptive use, childbirth, breastfeeding, menopause, multiple sexual partners, Gardnerella, Prevotella, Bacteroides, menstrual cycle
- MeSH terms
- Contraceptive Agents, Female, Humans, Hygiene, Menstruation, Vagina, Microbiota
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