The place of virome in women’s reproductive health

Abstract

Introduction. The vaginal ecosystem is rich in bacteria, the simplest, fungi as well as viruses that are now introduced by the concept of virome. The lack of knowledge of the role of the virome, especially its impact on reproductive and sexual health, aims to study scientific literature on this issue.The purpose of this review is to provide up-to-date data on vaginal virome, its relationship with vaginal microbiota and outcomes of pregnancy, and its impact on reproductive and sexual health.Material and methods. An information search was carried out using Internet resources (PubMed, Web of Science, eLibrary.ru); literature sources for period 2016–2021 were analyzed.Results. The analysis of the scientific data demonstrated the importance of studying the vaginal virome, its role in the development of gynecological and obstetric pathologies the relationship of vaginal viruses with microbiota and immune system of the host organism. And any imbalance of this relationship can contribute to adverse reproductive outcomes, including the infertility.Conclusion. The growing interest in the investigation of vaginal virome requires standardization of laboratory protocols and technologies, including the  identification of  RNA viruses. However, there are methodological and analytical restrictions on the vaginal virome research. It is suggested that vaginal virome is the missing link between the bacteria of the female genital tract with protective properties of the mucous membranes and adverse reproductive outcomes. In this regard, future studies that assess vaginal virome in the balance between disease and health are very promising.