human reproductive system metagenome Metagenome

Women were recruited at cervical disease diagnosis and treatment center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital. Enrollment occurred between April 2015 and October 2016. Patients with pregnancy, known malignancy or immunosuppressive diseases or receiving immunosuppressive therapy were excluded from the study.Cervical cells were collected with a cytobrush from ectocervix and endocervix of the uterus of every woman by cervical scrapings. Half of the swab was used immediately for HPV DNA detection and the other half was stored at -80 °C for subsequent DNA extraction, for 2 months up to a maximum of 5 years.