{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T16:54:09Z","timestamp":1791219249277,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":84,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,12]],"date-time":"2021-12-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1639267200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Microorganisms"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The link between cancer and the microbiome is a fast-moving field in research. There is little knowledge on the microbiome in ((pre)malignant) conditions of the vulvar skin. This systematic review aims to provide an overview of the literature regarding the microbiome composition of the healthy vulvar skin and in (pre)malignant vulvar disease. This study was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive, electronic search strategy was used to identify original research articles (updated September 2021). The inclusion criteria were articles using culture-independent methods for microbiome profiling of the vulvar region. Ten articles were included. The bacterial composition of the vulva consists of several genera including Lactobacillus, Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus and Prevotella, suggesting that the vulvar microbiome composition shows similarities with the corresponding vaginal milieu. However, the vulvar microbiome generally displayed higher diversity with commensals of cutaneous and fecal origin. This is the first systematic review that investigates the relationship between microbiome and vulvar (pre)malignant disease. There are limited data and the level of evidence is low with limitations in study size, population diversity and methodology. Nevertheless, the vulvar microbiome represents a promising field for exploring potential links for disease etiology and targets for therapy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms9122568","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,13]],"date-time":"2021-12-13T01:29:33Z","timestamp":1639358973000},"page":"2568","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":24,"title":["The Human Vulvar Microbiome: A Systematic Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2064-7501","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lisa","family":"Pagan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Human Drug Research, 2333 CL Leiden, The Netherlands"},{"name":"Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Roos A. M.","family":"Ederveen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands"},{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Catharina Cancer Institute, Catharina Ziekenhuis, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623 EJ Eindhoven, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bertine W.","family":"Huisman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Human Drug Research, 2333 CL Leiden, The Netherlands"},{"name":"Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1120-4781","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jan W.","family":"Schoones","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Directorate of Research Policy (Formerly: Walaeus Library), Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0537-6838","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Romy D.","family":"Zwittink","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Microbiome Analyses and Therapeutics, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6982-5340","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Frank H. J.","family":"Schuren","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research, TNO, 3704 HE Zeist, The Netherlands"},{"name":"Leiden Skin Institute, 2333 CL Leiden, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Robert","family":"Rissmann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Human Drug Research, 2333 CL Leiden, The Netherlands"},{"name":"Leiden Skin Institute, 2333 CL Leiden, The Netherlands"},{"name":"Leiden Amsterdam Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0487-0631","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jurgen M. 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