Bacteria could be responsible for male reproductive disorders

Bacteria harboured in the male reproductive system could be responsible for prostatitis, a precursor for prostate cancer, and later health disorders in offspring, according to a recent discovery by researchers at the University of Missouri.

Bacteria can be beneficial to body processes such as digestion, but some bacteria housed in the human body may cause disease. The researchers have discovered a microbiome in the male reproductive tract in mice that holds harmful bacteria that could potentially be responsible for a negative reproductive function and the health of males.

Bacteria found within this specialised microbiome could then be passed from father to offspring, where it can then cause a higher risk of disease such as obesity. In addition, the bacteria could initiate diseases such prostatitis, that can result in later prostate cancer.

The study, "Discovery of a Novel Seminal Fluid Microbiome and Influence of Estrogen Receptor Alpha Genetic Status," was published in Scientific Reports.