Transmission electron micrograph of Gardnerella vaginalis colony, bacteria found in the vagina and urethra of men having vaginal intercourse
MOREDUN ANIMAL HEALTH LTD/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
The male urethra (the tube through which urine exits the body) is home to a variety of bacteria, some of which are probably picked up during vaginal intercourse.
Evelyn Toh of the Indiana University School of Medicine and her colleagues swabbed the urethra of 110 men without sexually transmitted infections or urethral-related problems. The men had an average age of 28 years and were of various ethnic and racial backgrounds. Transgender people were not included in the study.
Of these men, 92 provided swabs containing sufficient levels of bacterial DNA for further analysis.
The bacteria detected fall into two groups: those that can survive in the presence of oxygen and therefore can probably live near the tip of the penis, and those that cannot survive in the presence of oxygen and probably live higher in the urethra. can be separated.
According to researchers, the former group is found in most men’s swabs and probably originates from the urethra of the penis.
The latter group, however, was dominated by bacteria that are often destroyed in conditions of bacterial vaginosis (BV), a disorder thought to occur when the vaginal microbiome gets out of sync. It is a common cause of vaginal discharge.
Of the 110 men, 75 were identified as heterosexual, 22 as homosexual and 13 as ‘bisexual or other’.
Only men who reported vaginal intercourse had BV-associated bacteria, including: gardnerella vaginalis, suggesting that they were acquired during vaginal intercourse. These bacteria were not associated with oral or anal sex.
“The most important point of our study is to establish a baseline flora in healthy people. [penile] Co-author David Nelson, also of Indiana University School of Medicine, said.
Catriona Bradshaw of Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, said the study details the bacterial composition of the urethra of an uninfected penis and measures whether the penile microbiome is healthy or infected. It could serve as a baseline for
The results also support the hypothesis that men who have vaginal sex without a condom may transfer certain bacteria from one woman to another, says Erica Plummer of Monash University.
topic:
