Hoylesella timonensis, formerly Prevotella timonensis) is part of the family of microbes that commonly lives in healthy mouths and vaginal tracts but is an opportunistic pathogen, which means if it can try to take greater control of the space, it will. This can cause or contribute to unpleasant symptoms, like bacterial vaginosis2 or abscesses in the mouth.
H. timonensis can cause inflammation3 and cause infections in wounds4. In low numbers, it is a harmless commensal of the gut1 and vagina.
References
- 1.Ndongo S, Lagier J, Fournier P, Raoult D, Khelaifia S. “Prevotellamassilia timonensis,” a new bacterial species isolated from the human gut. New Microbes New Infect. 2016;13:102-103. doi:10.1016/j.nmni.2016.06.014
- 2.Margolis E, Fredricks DN. Bacterial Vaginosis-Associated Bacteria. In: Molecular Medical Microbiology. Elsevier; 2015:1487-1496. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-397169-2.00083-4
- 3.van Teijlingen NH, Helgers LC, Zijlstra – Willems EM, et al. Vaginal dysbiosis associated-bacteria Megasphaera elsdenii and Prevotella timonensis induce immune activation via dendritic cells. Journal of Reproductive Immunology. Published online April 2020:103085. doi:10.1016/j.jri.2020.103085
- 4.Glazunova OO, Launay T, Raoult D, Roux V. Prevotella timonensis sp. nov., isolated from a human breast abscess. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. Published online April 1, 2007:883-886. doi:10.1099/ijs.0.64609-0
