The urobiome in the sexesThe urobiome and incontinence The human host harbors an incredibly large number of microbes on the skin and the mucosa of the various tracts communicate with the exterior. They are grouped into several groups of microbiota depending on the ecological niche they occupy. Altogether, there are up to a thousand bacterial species in the human microbial community.
The urinary microbiome Not many years ago, most scientists perceived the urinary tract as being sterile in normal conditions. However, metagenomics studies, as made feasible with the use of high-throughput next-generation sequencing methods, have shown this to be a false dogma, with the urobiome being an integral part of the human microbiome.
Urobiome in UTIs UTIs are the most commonly found hospital-acquired infection of clinical significance and are potentially serious. Escherichia coli is found in both healthy and asymptomatic individuals, and other factors may be involved in its pathogenicity such as the presence of other infectious agents, especially Enterococcus fecalis.
The urobiome in the sexes The urobiome in women has been found to be dominated by Lactobacillus, while that in men shows predominantly the presence of Gram-positive bacteria such as Corynebacterium and Streptococcus, both of which may act as opportunistic pathogens. In CKD, the urobiome diversity is decreased in end-stage renal disease, and in kidney recipients. In the latter, the urobiome is dominated by potential pathogens such as Escherichia coli or Enterobacter, irrespective of the condition underlying the need for kidney transplant.
Research suggests an increase in certain pathogenic bacteria in TCC and prostate cancer patients, as well as commensals. Such dysbiosis may modify the extracellular matrix, promoting chronic inflammation and a higher risk of carcinogenesis.