Comparative analysis of vaginal and gut microbiota in late-pregnancy women with or without Group B Streptococcus colonization

This project investigates the vaginal and gut microbiota of Japanese women in late pregnancy at 35 to 37 weeks of gestation to explore microbial features associated with Group B Streptococcus colonization. Paired vaginal and stool samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA V3-V4 region sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq and NextSeq platforms. Microbial community structure, diversity, and cross site gut-vagina correlations were evaluated using QIIME2 and R-based statistical analysis. The study aims to identify microbial signatures linked to GBS colonization and provide insights into microbial risk factors for peripartum infection.