Probiotics and urogenital infections: a protocol for an evidence and gap map

Abstract

Urogenital infections, particularly bacterial vaginosis (BV), vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and urinary tract infections (UTI), are routinely treated with antibiotics. However, there are mounting concerns about the need for alternative or adjunct therapies due to increasing antimicrobial resistance. Probiotics have garnered significant interest both in the scientific community and the public. This is due to their ability to compete with pathogens, hindering their colonization and contributing to host defence mechanisms. However, their effectiveness in the management of urogenital infections in clinical and primary care settings have been inconsistent across clinical studies and systematic reviews. This evidence and gap map (EGM) seeks to offer comprehensive and clearer overviews of probiotics in relation to urogenital infection management. This method ensures an unbiased evaluation of the present body of evidence on probiotic use, consolidating the existing knowledge and identify the knowledge gaps which can inform research, clinical decision-making and healthcare practice policy development.