scholarly journals Antimicrobial and Prebiotic Activity of Lactoferrin in the Female Reproductive Tract: A Comprehensive Review

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1940
Author(s):  
Jolanta Artym ◽  
Michał Zimecki
Keyword(s):  
Genital Tract ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Premature Delivery ◽  
Multifunctional Protein ◽  
Prebiotic Activity ◽  
Mucus Cells ◽  
Tract Infections

Women’s intimate health depends on several factors, such as age, diet, coexisting metabolic disorders, hormonal equilibrium, sexual activity, drug intake, contraception, surgery, and personal hygiene. These factors may affect the homeostasis of the internal environment of the genital tract: the vulva, vagina and cervix. This equilibrium is dependent on strict and complex mutual interactions between epithelial cells, immunocompetent cells and microorganisms residing in this environment. The microbiota of the genital tract in healthy women is dominated by several species of symbiotic bacteria of the Lactobacillus genus. The bacteria inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms and inflammatory processes by virtue of direct and multidirectional antimicrobial action and, indirectly, by the modulation of immune system activity. For the homeostasis of the genital tract ecosystem, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory peptides, as well as proteins secreted by mucus cells into the cervicovaginal fluid, have a fundamental significance. Of these, a multifunctional protein known as lactoferrin (LF) is one of the most important since it bridges innate and acquired immunity. Among its numerous properties, particular attention should be paid to prebiotic activity, i.e., exerting a beneficial action on symbiotic microbiota of the gastrointestinal and genital tract. Such activity of LF is associated with the inhibition of bacterial and fungal infections in the genital tract and their consequences, such as endometritis, pelvic inflammation, urinary tract infections, miscarriage, premature delivery, and infection of the fetus and newborns. The aim of this article is to review the results of laboratory as well as clinical trials, confirming the prebiotic action of LF on the microbiota of the lower genital tract.

scholarly journals Socio-demographic Characteristics of Women with Reproductive Tract Infection Attending a Military Hospital

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-220
Author(s):  
ABM Belayet Hossain ◽  
Quazi Md Rashid Un Nabi ◽  
Md Julfikkar Alam ◽  
Sheikh Shahidul Islam ◽  
Shaikh Mohammad Edi Ameen
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Military Hospital ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Women Of Reproductive Age ◽  
Reproductive Tract Infection ◽  
Tract Infections

Introduction: Reproductive tract infections (RTIs) are being increasingly recognized as a serious global health problem with impact on individual women and men, their families and communities. RTIs are a group of disease that cause infection of the genital tract and include both those that are sexually transmitted and those that are not. RTIs are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in both men and women, especially in women of reproductive age. Objectives: To determine the socio-demographic characteristics among women with RTIs attending at gynecology outpatient department, CMH, Dhaka. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out with a view to find out the socio-demographic characteristics of women with RTIs and their common clinical presentations. The study was conducted among women of reproductive age group of Bangladesh Armed Forces attending at Gynecology OPD, CMH Dhaka, for the period of 1st march to 30th June 2011. A total of 128 women (114 married and 14 were unmarried) were interviewed with the help of structured question and checklist. Data was collected through clinical diagnostic approach made by gynecologists. Results: It was found that highest percentage of respondents (32.8%) were in the age group of 30-34 years, mean age at marriage was 17.79 years. The highest percentage of respondents (46.5%) was married at the age range of 16-18 years. Among the respondents, 89.1% were married and 10.9% were unmarried. The women with higher education level had lower occurrence of RTIs than women with lower education. In relation to status of spouse of married women, RTIs were significantly more among the wife of other ranks. Practice of personal hygiene during menstruation showed safe positive impact on RTIs. It was found that 50% respondents were presenting with vaginal discharge (Leucorrhoea). Most of the causes were vaginitis (38.3%). Conclusion: Study findings indicate that high prevalence of RTIs among women is due to the influence of less educational status, low income and also husband's educational background and employment status. JAFMC Bangladesh. Vol 15, No 2 (December) 2019: 218-220

Genito-urinary fungal infections

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack D. Sobel
Keyword(s):  
Urinary Tract Infection ◽  
Urinary Tract ◽  
Tract Infection ◽  
Genital Tract ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Clinical Expression ◽  
Lower Genital Tract ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
Made In

The predominant fungal causes of genitourinary disease are Candida spp.; other fungal genera are uncommon pathogens in both sexes. Vulvovaginal candidiasis affects millions of women worldwide—and includes acute sporadic, recurrent, and chronic syndromes—and considerable progress has been made in understanding its pathophysiology and hence the best therapy. Therapeutic options are still limited, however, and misdiagnosis is common. In contrast, urinary tract candidiasis reflects an entirely different pathogenesis and clinical expression affecting a predominantly hospital-based older population. Candida organisms are extremely difficult to eradicate from often complicated urinary tract infections. Non-Candida fungal species reach the kidney and prostate by the bloodstream rather than the ascending route taken by Candida spp. In women, not infrequently, there is simultaneous lower genital tract and urinary tract infection, requiring attention to both systems.

scholarly journals Menstrual Hygiene, Management, and Waste Disposal: Practices and Challenges Faced by Girls/Women of Developing Countries

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajanbir Kaur ◽  
Kanwaljit Kaur ◽  
Rajinder Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Reproductive Tract Infections ◽  
Menstrual Hygiene ◽  
Menstrual Hygiene Management ◽  
Hygiene Management ◽  
Sanitary Products ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
At Home

Menstruation and menstrual practices still face many social, cultural, and religious restrictions which are a big barrier in the path of menstrual hygiene management. In many parts of the country especially in rural areas girls are not prepared and aware about menstruation so they face many difficulties and challenges at home, schools, and work places. While reviewing literature, we found that little, inaccurate, or incomplete knowledge about menstruation is a great hindrance in the path of personal and menstrual hygiene management. Girls and women have very less or no knowledge about reproductive tract infections caused due to ignorance of personal hygiene during menstruation time. In rural areas, women do not have access to sanitary products or they know very little about the types and method of using them or are unable to afford such products due to high cost. So, they mostly rely on reusable cloth pads which they wash and use again. Needs and requirements of the adolescent girls and women are ignored despite the fact that there are major developments in the area of water and sanitation. Women manage menstruation differently when they are at home or outside; at homes, they dispose of menstrual products in domestic wastes and in public toilets and they flush them in the toilets without knowing the consequences of choking. So, there should be a need to educate and make them aware about the environmental pollution and health hazards associated with them. Implementation of modern techniques like incineration can help to reduce the waste. Also, awareness should be created to emphasize the use of reusable sanitary products or the natural sanitary products made from materials like banana fibre, bamboo fibre, sea sponges, water hyacinth, and so on.

scholarly journals To assess the prevalence of STI/RTI using syndromic case management in the urban health centre area of greater Visakhapatnam municipal corporation, Andhra Pradesh

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (9) ◽  
pp. 3247
Author(s):  
Srinivas Rao Ganta ◽  
K. K. L. Prasad ◽  
P. J. Srinivas
Keyword(s):  
Urban Health ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Health Centre ◽  
Lower Abdominal Pain ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
Urban Health Centre

Background: Sexually transmitted diseases remain a major public health problem in many parts of the world. 340 million new cases of curable STIS occur every year. 75 to 85% are seen in developing countries and rank second as the cause of healthy life lost among women of reproductive age group, after maternal morbidity and mortality. Methods: The study was conducted at Rama Murthy Pantulu Peta in the field area of urban health centre of greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, Visakhapatnam during September 2015 to October 2016. The study design was a community based descriptive study. Based on the prevalence of STI as stated by National AIDS Control Organization, a sample of 1541 is calculated.Results: The overall prevalence of RTI/STI in our study is 18.88%. The prevalence of symptoms suggestive of STI/RTI among female respondents is found to be 27.97%. Majority of females complained of vaginal discharge (26.68%),vulvas itching (10%), lower abdominal pain (6.34%) followed by abnormal vaginal bleeding (5.91%).The prevalence of symptoms suggestive of RTI/STI is found to be 9.75% among male respondents and majority complained of Urethral Discharge (8.4%) followed by inguinal/scrotal swelling (5.2%). Conclusions: The prevalence of Reproductive tract infections is more in females when compared to males in our study. Health education regarding the sexual and personal hygiene should be targeted to both males and females so as to decrease the prevalence of Sexual transmitted diseases in the urban health centre areas of Visakhapatnam. 

scholarly journals Does the Act of Copulation per se, without Considering Seminal Deposition, Change the Expression of Genes in the Porcine Female Genital Tract?

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5477
Author(s):  
Manuel Alvarez-Rodriguez ◽  
Cristina A. Martinez ◽  
Dominic Wright ◽  
Heriberto Rodriguez-Martinez
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Genital Tract ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Female Genital Tract ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Smooth Muscle Contractility ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Per Se ◽  
Natural Mating ◽  
Transcriptomic Changes

Semen—through its specific sperm and seminal plasma (SP) constituents—induces changes of gene expression in the internal genital tract of pigs, particularly in the functional sperm reservoir at the utero-tubal junction (UTJ). Although seminal effects are similarly elicited by artificial insemination (AI), major changes in gene expression are registered after natural mating, a fact suggesting the act of copulation induces per se changes in genes that AI does not affect. The present study explored which pathways were solely influenced by copulation, affecting the differential expression of genes (DEGs) of the pre/peri-ovulatory genital tract (cervix, distal uterus, proximal uterus and UTJ) of estrus sows, 24 h after various procedures were performed to compare natural mating with AI of semen (control 1), sperm-free SP harvested from the sperm-peak fraction (control 2), sperm-free SP harvested from the whole ejaculate (control 3) or saline-extender BTS (control 4), using a microarray chip (GeneChip® porcine gene 1.0 st array). Genes related to neuroendocrine responses (ADRA1, ADRA2, GABRB2, CACNB2), smooth muscle contractility (WNT7A), angiogenesis and vascular remodeling (poFUT1, NTN4) were, among others, overrepresented with distal and proximal uterine segments exhibiting the highest number of DEGs. The findings provide novel evidence that relevant transcriptomic changes in the porcine female reproductive tract occur in direct response to the specific act of copulation, being semen-independent.

scholarly journals Role for the mammalian female reproductive tract microbiome in pregnancy outcomes

2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (8) ◽  
pp. 390-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Babiche A. Heil ◽  
Dale L. Paccamonti ◽  
Jenny L. Sones
Keyword(s):  
Pregnancy Outcomes ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Reproductive Tract Infections ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Core Microbiome ◽  
Mammalian Female ◽  
Tract Infections

Since the discovery of the microbiome in humans, it has been studied in many mammalian species. Different microbiological communities with variable richness and diversity have been found among these species in distinct areas of the reproductive tract. Human studies have shown that the composition of the microbiome is dependent on body site and several host-related factors. Furthermore, specific phyla have been identified among the different species and within distinct areas of the female reproductive tract, but a “core” microbiome of the female reproductive tract has not been defined in any species. Moreover, the function of the microbiome in the reproductive tract is not yet fully understood. However, it has been suggested that a change in diversity of the microbiome and the presence or absence of specific microbial species might be useful indicators of pregnancy outcomes. Increased comprehensive knowledge of the microbiological communities in the female reproductive tract is needed since adverse outcomes represent a significant problem to many species, including livestock, exotic or endangered species, and humans. To the authors’ knowledge, a review combining current female reproductive tract microbiome data among different mammalian species has not been published yet. Herein is a comprehensive review of what is known in the field of the female reproductive microbiome and how it correlates with reproductive success or failure in mammals. Further studies may lead to optimization of therapies in the treatment of reproductive tract infections and pregnancy failure, and may create opportunities for novel approaches for improving reproductive efficiency in animals and people.

scholarly journals UNC-45A Is Highly Expressed in the Proliferative Cells of the Mouse Genital Tract and in the Microtubule-Rich Areas of the Mouse Nervous System

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1604
Author(s):  
Valentino Clemente ◽  
Asumi Hoshino ◽  
Joyce Meints ◽  
Mihir Shetty ◽  
Tim Starr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Genital Tract ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Neuronal Development ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Ciliated Epithelium ◽  
Actomyosin Contractility ◽  
Cancer Initiation

UNC-45A (Protein unc-45 homolog A) is a cytoskeletal-associated protein with a dual and non-mutually exclusive role as a regulator of the actomyosin system and a Microtubule (MT)-destabilizing protein, which is overexpressed in human cancers including in ovarian cancer patients resistant to the MT-stabilizing drug paclitaxel. Mapping of UNC-45A in the mouse upper genital tract and central nervous system reveals its enrichment not only in highly proliferating and prone to remodeling cells, but also in microtubule-rich areas, of the ovaries and the nervous system, respectively. In both apparatuses, UNC-45A is also abundantly expressed in the ciliated epithelium. As regulators of actomyosin contractility and MT stability are essential for the physiopathology of the female reproductive tract and of neuronal development, our findings suggest that UNC-45A may have a role in ovarian cancer initiation and development as well as in neurodegeneration.

scholarly journals The vaginal microflora changes in various stages of the estrous cycle of healthy female dogs and the ones with genital tract infections

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Edyta Golińska ◽  
Natalia Sowińska ◽  
Anna Tomusiak-Plebanek ◽  
Marlena Szydło ◽  
Natalia Witka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genital Tract ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Bacterial Flora ◽  
Vaginal Swab ◽  
Vaginal Microflora ◽  
Genital Tract Infections ◽  
Acid Producing Bacteria ◽  
Streptococcus Canis ◽  
Tract Infections

Abstract Background Inflammatory diseases of reproductive tract in bitches are a common problem in veterinary practice. The inflammation can lead to serious health problems. Research to determine the correlation between the health status of females, phase of the cycle, age and bacterial flora of the genital tract has been ongoing for years, but the results obtained by individual authors are often contradictory. Results A total of 39 dogs were included in this study. Ten were qualified to the 1st group with genital tract infections (8 in anestrus and 2 in proestrus) and 29 to the 2nd group without such infections (16 in anestrus, 9 in proestrus and 4 in diestrus). The most common bacterial isolates obtained from the vaginal tract of all dogs were Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Streptococcus canis. The prevalence of Gram-negative rods (other than E. coli) was significantly higher in the group with genital tract infections versus healthy dogs. There was no presence of Chlamydiaceae, Chlamydia abortus and lactic acid-producing bacteria in tested swabs. Conclusions Our study identified the most common bacteria in the genital tract of bitches. The total number of bacteria was almost the same in the healthy and infected dogs, as well as between the cycle stages. In our opinion, bacterial culturing of vaginal swab specimens from bitches without signs of genital disease is of little value. Furthermore, it should always be preceded by clinical examination and cytological examination of the vaginal epithelium.

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