First-void urine microbiome in women with chlamydia trachomatis urethritis

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the agent of the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide, with a relevant clinic and economic impact. In women, uro-genital CT infections (i.e., urethritis, cervicitis) are often asymptomatic and, if left untreated, can lead to several complications and sequelae, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, tubal infertility and ectopic pregnancy.Although the characteristics of the vaginal microbiome during chlamydial infections have been largely investigated, only a little information is available about the microbial composition of urine samples in case of CT urethritis.The aim of the present study was to characterize the microbiome and metabolome profiles of first-void urines in a cohort of women with CT urethral infection comprising 11 CT-positive and 21 CT-negative Caucasian young women, attending a STI Outpatients Clinic.