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Cited by 14Reproductive tract infections researchUrinary Tract Infections ManagementEscherichia coli research studies

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Urogenital colonization and pathogenicity of E. Coli in the vaginal microbiota during pregnancy

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Boutouchent, Nassim, Vu, Thi Ngoc Anh, Landraud, Luce, Kennedy, Sean P.·2024·Scientific Reports
DOI 10.1038/s41598-024-76438-2PMC PMC11513020

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Abstract

Abstract This study explores the role of the vaginal microbiota (VM) in the pathophysiology of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB), which requires systematic screening and antibiotic treatment during pregnancy. We hypothesize that disruptions in the VM composition may promote the ascending colonization of bacteria from the gut to the urinary tract, reinforcing the existence of a gut-urogenital axis. A healthy VM is typically characterized by low diversity and is dominated by lactic acid-producing species, notably those from the Lactobacillus genus. Diversity analyses of whole genomes metagenomic sequencing data from 1,553 pregnant women revealed a metagenomic signature characterized by an increase in phylogenetic diversity within the VM during ASB. This shift includes both a decrease in lactobacilli and an increase in the abundance of taxa associated with the gut microbiota, particularly Enterobacterales, with a substantial rise in Escherichia coli abundance. Worldwide, E. coli remains the most common etiological agent of bacteriuria during pregnancy and also a major causative agent of newborn infections. Given its importance and the limited data on its characterization within the VM during pregnancy, we performed genomic assembly and analysis of this species from pregnant women of this cohort. Molecular typing and antimicrobial resistance characterization of 72 assembled E. coli genomes revealed a genomic signature of Extra-Intestinal pathogenic E. coli (“ExPEC”) strains, which are involved in various extraintestinal infections such as urinary tract infections, newborn infections and bacteremia. Moreover, the presence of this species in the vaginal environment was associated with a substantial variation of the microbial diversity, primarily marked by a decrease in abundance of Lactobacillus species. Overall, our study shows how disruption in key bacterial group within the VM can disrupt its stability, potentially leading to the colonization by opportunistic pathogens.

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References 78 · Cited by 14

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Metadata

Authors
Boutouchent, N., Vu, T. N. A., Landraud, L., & Kennedy, S. P.
Affiliations
  • Institut Pasteur (FR)
  • Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VN)
  • Inserm (FR)
Corresponding author
Kennedy, Sean P.
ORCID
Venue
Scientific Reports
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2024-10-26
Volume
14
Issue
1
Pages
25523-25523
ISSN
2045-2322 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41598-024-76438-2
PMC
PMC11513020
OpenAlex
W4403784999
Cited by
14
References
78
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 6
FWCI
3.65
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Scientific Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Research Square (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • University Hospital of Rouen Normandy (Bourse Année Recherche (BAR) 2023-24)
  • Programme d’Investissements d’avenir and BPIfrance (DOS0053477 SUB & DOS0053473 AR)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Reproductive tract infections research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Urology › Urinary Tract Infections Management
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Escherichia coli research studies
Keywords
Escherichia coli, vaginal microbiota, asymptomatic bacteriuria, pregnancy, Lactobacillus, vaginal dysbiosis, extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli, antimicrobial resistance, metagenome-assembled genomes, neonatal infection, Enterobacterales
MeSH terms
Adult, Bacteriuria, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Escherichia coli Infections, Female, Humans, Lactobacillus, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious, Vagina, Genome, Bacterial, Reproductive Tract Infections, Microbiota

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