Temporal Dynamics of the Adult Female Lower Urinary Tract Microbiota

Abstract

Following the discovery of the collective human urinary microbiota, important knowledge gaps remain, including the stability and variability of this microbial niche over time. Initial urinary studies preferentially utilized samples obtained by transurethral catheterization to minimize contributions from vulvovaginal microbes. However, catheterization has the potential to alter the urinary microbiota; therefore, voided specimens are preferred for longitudinal studies. In this report, we describe microbial findings obtained by daily assessment over 3 months in a small cohort of adult women. We found that, similarly to vaginal microbiotas, lower urinary tract (LUT) microbiotas are dynamic, with changes relating to several factors, particularly menstruation and vaginal intercourse. Our study results show that LUT microbiotas are both dynamic and resilient. They also offer novel opportunities to target LUT microbiotas by preventative or therapeutic means, through risk and/or protective factor modification.