Anaerococcus

Anaerococcus is a genus of Gram-positive, obligate anaerobic cocci within the phylum Firmicutes. It is a normal inhabitant of the human vaginal, skin, and gastrointestinal microbiota, but is recognized as an opportunistic pathogen in dysbiotic states, particularly when Lactobacillus-dominant vaginal communities are disrupted.

Anaerococcus enrichment has been documented in the vaginal microbiome of women with endometriosis, where its increased abundance correlates with non-Lactobacillus-dominant community state types ([1], cross-sectional; [2], cross-sectional). The genus has also been identified as enriched in HPV-positive cervical cancer, where it contributes to the anaerobic, pro-inflammatory vaginal environment associated with persistent HPV infection and malignant progression ([3], mega-analysis). These patterns position Anaerococcus as a marker of vaginal dysbiosis across gynecological conditions.

Cross-References

References (4)

  1. . perrotta 2020 vaginal microbiome predict rasrm endometriosis
  2. John MacSharry, Zsuzsanna Kovacs, Yongjing Xie et al. (2024). MacSharry 2024 — Endometriosis Specific Vaginal Microbiota Links to Urine and Serum N-Glycome. Scientific Reports. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-76125-2
  3. Rashwan HH, Ali MH, Mostafa MM et al. (2025). Rashwan et al. 2025 — Insights into the Tripartite Relationship between Cervical Cancer, HPV, and the Vaginal Microbiome: A Mega-Analysis. Human Genomics. doi:10.1186/s40246-025-00795-w
  4. Perrotta AR, Borrelli GM, Martins CO et al. (2020). The Vaginal Microbiome as a Tool to Predict rASRM Stage of Disease in Endometriosis: a Pilot Study. Reproductive Sciences. doi:10.1007/s43032-019-00113-5

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