How vaginal microbiome tests are performed and evaluated

Abstract

The vaginal microbiota plays an important functional role in women’s reproduction and overall
health. Research on the vaginal microbiome using advanced genetic methods like 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, metagenomic, and metatranscriptomic sequencing allows a detailed assessment of microbial taxonomy and important genes’ expression. These methods help understand structural changes in the microbiome related to disease development. Additionally, mass spectrometry, metabolomics, and metaproteomics enable studies of interactions between the microbiome and host cells, identifying potential disease markers. Bioinformatic tools and algorithms allow the analysis of large sequencing datasets to determine and predict the associations between microorganisms’ metabolites, proteins, and their effect on host cells, contributing to more precise diagnosis and treatment of gynecological diseases. This review explores current methods and approaches for vaginal microbiome genetic material and bioinformatic data analysis.