Longitudinal profiling of the macaque vaginal microbiome reveals similarities to diverse human vaginal communities

In this study, we performed a longitudinal analysis of clinical and microbiome data from a large cohort of reproductive age rhesus macaques. At the taxonomic, genomic, and functional level, the rhesus macaque vaginal microbiome was most similar to that of humans who harbor a diverse vaginal community associated with asymptomatic/symptomatic bacterial vaginosis. Our in-depth and comprehensive analysis highlights the utility of macaques to test interventions for manipulating the vaginal microbiome.