Variation in the microbiome of the urogenital tract of female koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) with and without ‘wet bottom’

Abstract

Abstract Koalas ( Phascolarctos cinereus ) are iconic Australian marsupials currently threatened by several processes. Infectious reproductive tract disease, caused by Chlamydia pecorum , and koala retrovirus infection are considered key drivers of population decline. The clinical sign of ‘wet bottom’, a staining of the rump associated with urinary incontinence, is often caused by chlamydial urogenital tract infections. However, wet bottom has been recorded in koalas free of C. pecorum , suggesting other causative agents in those individuals. Current understanding of the bacterial community of the koala urogenital tract is limited. We used 16S rRNA diversity profiling to investigate the micr..