Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41782168›Full record

ArticleMicrobiome2026

Post-coital dynamics of the penile and cervico-vaginal genital microbiome.

Daniel E Park, Avid Mohammadi, Sydney G Nelson, Juan E Salazar, Sareh Bagherichimeh, Maliha Aziz, Abigail Onos, Jack Villani, Azadeh Fazel, Elizabeth Tevlin and 4 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Microbiome, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. HIV Transmission and Immunology of the Male Reproductive Tract.American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989) · 2026
    Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Daniel E Park *Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Avid Mohammadi *Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Sydney G NelsonDepartment of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Juan E SalazarDepartment of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Sareh BagherichimehDepartment of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Maliha AzizDepartment of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Abigail OnosDepartment of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Jack VillaniDepartment of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Azadeh FazelDepartment of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Elizabeth TevlinWomen's Health in Women's Hands Community Health Clinic, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Sanja HuibnerDepartment of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Wangari TharaoWomen's Health in Women's Hands Community Health Clinic, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Rupert KaulDepartment of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Cindy M LiuDepartment of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA. cindyliu@gwu.edu.

Funding

CIHR PJT-156123 and TMI-138656NIH HHS R01A123002-01A1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe vaginal and penile coronal sulcus microbiome influence reproductive health outcomes and susceptibility to multiple sexually transmitted infections including HIV. There is evidence that genital bacteria are shared between heterosexual partners during sex, but the dynamics of this microbiota exchange remain poorly understood.

resultsUsing microbiome characterization from established heterosexual couples, we found that condomless penile-vaginal sex dramatically altered the coronal sulcus microbiome, with transient dominance by Lactobacillus spp. Conversely, condom-protected penile-vaginal sex did not result in significant shifts in overall composition (p = 0.63). Significant changes were observed in the female partner's genital microbiome, including increased Corynebacterium spp. and increased abundance of Bacteria Associated with Seroconversion, Inflammation, and Cells (BASICs) (Prevotella bivia, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Dialister micraerophilus, Prevotella disiens, Dialister propionicifaciens, Dialister succinatiphilus) in individuals with a colonized male partner. By 72 h post-coitus L. iners cell-normalized abundance remained elevated in the penile microbiome, but other taxa returned to baseline levels. Causal mediation analysis indicated a pH-mediated increase in vaginal Gardnerella at 72 h.

conclusionsCondom-protected penile-vaginal sex was associated with minimal genital microbiome changes, whereas condomless penile-vaginal sex among established couples led to extensive exchange of genital microbiota. Most disruptions to the microbiome resolved within 2-3 days, although changes in vaginal pH were associated with longer-lasting increases in Gardnerella abundance. Video Abstract.

Indexed as

BacteriaCervix UteriCoitusMicrobiotaPenisVaginaAdultFemaleHumansLactobacillusMalePrevotellaSexual PartnersBacteria Associated with HIV Seroconversion Inflammation and Immune Cells (BASIC)Condom useCoronal sulcus microbiomeMale circumcisionSexual transmissionVaginal microbiomeVaginal pH

Identifiers

PMID41782168
PMCPMC13112776

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.